Heart of a Wolf: 5 of 6
by cg215
Summary: (Pt 5) Modi has left with Mjolnir, putting all of Yggdrasill at risk. Hela has still not come out of her trance. Vali wants so badly to confess his love for Rigs, but feels held back by Loki's insistence to find Hela a cure. Will Thor be capable of doing what needs to be done to stop Modi and save the Universe, or will Loki have to do it for him?
1. For the Love of Hela

The girl doesn't recognize any of the people who are close to her, functionally blind to their presence. Their touch frightens her. She cannot remember anything before meeting Modi, unsure of who she is, or what she might be capable of. Hela is lost to her family, injured in body, mind, and heart.

How Modi was capable of poisoning Hela with her own magic remains a mystery. The only person the girl lets near her is Grid, her surrogate grandmother, which brings Sigyn and Loki comfort; at the very least, Grid can make sure Hela stays nourished, and might even be able to determine what spell will cure her.

Vali tries in vain, daily, to reach his sister. He is still so worried over her, marred by Modi's harsh words about her actions, concerned that she will forever be trapped in her own universe. The resentment towards Modi grows with every passing hour. It was stupid of Vali to not have suspected that something was wrong with Hela on that last day she was home with him. Her lingering stare at his face when he asked if anything interesting had happened... he should have noticed his sister's signal. _How could I have been so blind?_

"Don't blame yourself, my love." Sigyn comes to Vali's side, and both of them stand before Hela's room, watching her rock back and forth. She sits next to Grid, who has decided that company is better than solitude; the old woman is embroidering some piece of fabric, an old habit that she always seems to turn to in times of stress. "None of us could have known what Hela was doing, it was such a short time."

"But Modi knew how to reach her, mother. He knew where he would find her, and even what to say to make her turn against us. Who knows all that she told him in confidence..." Vali shakes his head, even rubbing his temples slightly to rid himself of the headache that seems to always plague him these days. "I can't help but feel like I should have noticed something, either with him or with her. I hate him so."

"Oh, shhh. We don't hate. I taught you that long ago, my son."

"But what if father is right? What if Modi returns to destroy us all, for the sake of his greed?"

Sigyn can only shake her head, and take her sons hand in hers.

"He will surely come. And we must defend our realm, our people, and our family. Hela needs you to have faith that she will return to us, and that she will understand the importance of fulfilling her own destiny. And you will as well, my dear Vali, when the time comes to grow into the station that the people have elected you to."

Vali suddenly feels overwhelmed with the prospect of responsibility. How is he supposed to become King of a realm that might not survive the carnage of its own blood prince? Modi has already lost his title and his station with the people, but his memory will live on as a warning to the citizens. Vali is uncertain if he will ever be accepted by the people now, if he is so closely tied to Thor and the already failing government. He has been trapped in this house with his torn family for so many days that he has forgotten what it feels like to be outside, his usual balm for stress.

"I... I can't stay here and watch her suffer, and ask me who I am like I'm a stranger. There has to be something I can do outside of this house." Sigyn nods in agreement at him, and watches him walk through the hall. Vali ignores the mirrors, not wanting to be recognized while out on the trail. Right now, he just wants to get away from the horror of Hela's room.

He cannot escape so easily.

"Vali, where are you going?"

"Father, please don't stop me."

"I am not trying to stop you, I merely asked where you were goi..."

"How can anyone stay here and watch her suffer? How can you stand idly by and not bring justice to Thor over his indiscretion?"

Loki sighs loudly, standing between Vali and the door.

"My son, am I responsible for your actions? Do I have any control at all over what you believe and do?"

"No. But I was taught better than that."

"Ah, you think that Modi became an enemy because Thor failed to raise him to be otherwise. But it is not so simple. I remember being raised to think more highly of my family than I ended up treating them, too."

"Father, that was different, and you know it. They lied to you."

"Vali, Modi felt lied to as well. There is no difference."

Vali just puffs in defiance to Loki's words, but knows that there is truth in them. Thor cannot be entirely blamed for his son's actions. Modi is only using the tools he was given, though he chose to react with vengeance instead of compassion. Now he has a powerful weapon, keys to the realm, and the same angry will to destroy Vali's family.

"I know you're right. I just can't see why anyone would want to hurt Hela." Vali shakes his head. "And I am frustrated that he attacked on that day, of all days. It is not fair. I don't really see why anyone would want to hurt... well, anyone."

Loki eyes Vali suspiciously. His son is a fierce warrior, though his specialty is defense. Something has changed, and made him empathetic, almost to a fault. It could cost him his life if they are not careful.

"You are not saying something, Vali. What is it you are hiding?"

His son looks Loki in the eye, deciding whether or not to tell his father about his clandestine kiss with Rigs. He has a blessing from the girl's father to pursue her, but never thought to tell his own. There's no telling how Loki will react to his son wanting to chase romance at a time like this.

"I can't hide anything from _you_, father." Loki knows the words are a lie, but doesn't stop Vali as he pushes past through the door.


	2. On the Other End

Ragfrieda, the daughter of Heimdall, has been waiting for word from her friend since she last saw him at her private getaway. She walks the lonely roads of Dagheim, examining every small cave and crevice with the hope that he will magically appear. Her lips tingle at the thought of meeting his, though her heart beats almost painfully at the memory of their last encounter; her brother announced the carnage on Asgard and mentioned the severity of Vali's injury, only making Rigs wish she had insisted on going with them to fight.

Rigs is not yet skilled enough with other weapons to be at the same diplomatic level as Vali. She has mastered archery most definitely, but has little affinity for swordplay, and even less for hand-to-hand combat. At a distance, she is lethal. But Rigs knows that she has to continue her training without Vali if she is ever to hope for a station such as his in the army. The prospect of becoming a young soldier is all the more a certainty with so many of them dead.

Vali dominates her thoughts now, but she had never considered the possibility of romance between them until their last meeting. He seemed so vulnerable, so sweet and kind when mentioning his fallen brother that she could not resist comforting him, forcing Vali to step up and kiss her in response.

_Was it an accident?_ _Why was it I had never truly noticed him before?_

The girl kicks at the ground beneath her feet, considering her history with Vali. It is starting to become clear that he must have admired her for some time; all of the lingering glances she caught from his eyes this last year are beginning to make sense. They felt so comfortable together, so ready to confess their every thought and feeling. So why had he never told her what he was thinking? Rigs lets doubt, just for a moment, sink into her thoughts; perhaps he never confessed feelings to her because he does not care for her in such a way. Perhaps the kiss was a mistake, a transgression that he will regret should it affect their friendship.

She arrives at her little lake, no longer a private escape, and sits where they did a few weeks prior. Rigs enjoys tossing stones into the water, watching them skip and then evaporate, constantly reminded of Vali's true heritage and the touch of his cool skin.

"Ragfrieda, why do you come here alone?" Her father arrives on the scene, startling Rigs to turn around. He has a kind expression on his face, aware that she is suffering somewhat.

"Oh, father. I worry for my friend. I worry for all of Asgard with the fiend escaped to hurt us all." She stares at her feet, not wanting to make eye contact with Heimdall in such a fragile state.

"My daughter, it is good that you should worry. It means that you are prepared to defend this world, even all the worlds, if the time should come." He sits beside her, watching the mist from her previous throws linger over the water. Heimdall remembers finding this place and showing it to Rigs' older brother long ago; she has long since claimed it at her own.

Rigs is picking at her clothing; a bad habit that her mother always criticizes her for, though Heimdall knows it is something she only does while stressed.

"Have you not heard from Vali?"

She glances at her father, embarrassed that he would ask such a question. But she knows better than to lie to him. "No, I have heard nothing."

"Give it time, my dear. I am certain he will send word soon. I can assume his father is none too pleased at the state of their realm, endangered by Modi's trickery. Vali would not leave you to worry without good cause."

The girl's father is wise, almost eerily so. Rigs knows all too well the difficulties that Vali has as Loki's son, brought into such expected responsibility even when there is no crown for him to inherit. He often tells her of the fighting that goes on between his mother and his sister, and the cold response from his father when he wants to discuss anything other than station. The family alone means well, but Vali is somewhat trapped in his destiny. There is little room for love in his responsibilities.

"I hope you are right, father." She sighs loudly.

"You care for him, don't you, Ragfrieda?" Her father already knows the answer, but it would be pointless to go about assuming he knew her responses before seeking them out.

Rigs doesn't raise her face. She only nods slightly. She has to admit to herself first that she misses him, and wants to see him again. It has only been a number of weeks, yet it seems like an eternity to her young heart.

"Do you think I could send him a token? A message of comfort for his family?"

Heimdall's eyes widen slightly, and he nods, considering the gesture.

"You know, I think that might be exactly what they need. Come, let us go home, and we will all send the Lokison clan a gift of healing and good fortune."

This alone brings a smile to Rigs' face, with the obvious exception of the sweet memory of Vali's lips upon her own.


	3. Loki's Argument

Vali walks the road from his home to the Bifrost, considering all that has happened as of late. He remembers showing his dear sister these trails, teaching her how to create projections, only to watch her master the sorcery skills much better than he. The memory of her young face, smiling in wonder to watch the fiery stars in the sky, only makes Vali all the more upset with Modi's trespass.

_How could such a thing have happened with none of them knowing? _Vali is scarred with the memory of death and carnage in Asgard's city, forever haunted by the screams that were so much like those he heard as a child in the Ragnarok. How he wishes that Narvi, his comfort at that time so long ago, could be here to help the family see the light of peace ahead.

Hela's screams ring in Vali's ears, not knowing him, forcing the young man to grow in despair. The light that he felt for Rigs is nearly dashed away at the thought that his sister may never return. _What would become of this family now if she were to forever be trapped in her own mind? Would it mean that she would forever be a pawn to Modi, should he arrive to destroy them?_

His thoughts are only interrupted by the slightest glimmer of hope. At Vali's feet grows a simple plant, one with small, white flowers. He recognizes it as a common herb used in love spells, and wonders if Modi came across it while deceiving Hela, tricking her into emotion. Whatever the case, Vali takes some with him, hoping that love of family might still reach her in this state.

...

The young man is gone for an entire afternoon, now armed with a myriad of herbs to try with Hela. The bundles of plants that he carries are hodge-podged together, trailing dirt behind him when he enters the house. He heard the crash of the Bifrost during the day and knew that some visitor must have arrived, but is not concerned. Should Modi come, it would surely not be through such conspicuous means.

Vali raises his face to greet his mother, who usually can be found waiting in the kitchen. But he is instead met with his father, who is sitting at the table, a stern expression on his face.

"Hello, father. I brought much back with me. With luck, Hela will..."

"Where were you, Vali?" Loki interrupts harshly. His lips are pursed. Clearly, something is on his mind.

"What do you mean? I have been out gathering herbs to try new potions."

Loki continues to shake his head from side to side as Vali speaks.

"Not today. Where were you then, when you received the call from Asgard with Heimdall's son?"

Vali isn't sure how to respond. Wasn't it obvious?

"Were you in Dagheim?"

"Yes..." Vali trails, unsure where this is going.

"Were you cavorting with Ragfrieda? Were you distracting yourself from your duties?" Loki knows something. It makes Vali defensive and uncomfortable.

"Father, you knew I was on Dagheim, this is no..."

"Ah, but you left out something important, didn't you?" Loki places a piece of parchment on the table, neatly folded. In pretty script on the front is a single word, "Lokison."

Vali looks at it tor a moment, then back at Loki, whose eyes have become even more piercing with anger.

"A messenger brought this for us today. We assumed it was just for us. A sweet token of care from Ragfrieda, wishing us all the best in these hard times." Loki stops speaking just enough to glare at Vali. "But I suppose he did not get proper instruction, for we were handed this as well." Loki pulls out a second note, this one inscribed just to Vali.

"Tell me, Vali, why would Ragfrieda send two separate notes as a token to this family?"

Vali is frozen, not knowing the answer, afraid of his own father's wrath.

"Your mother didn't see it. Let's open it, shall we?"

Immediately, Vali drops the herbs he carries, stretching forward to grasp the parchment from the table. Loki is too fast, standing up, unfolding the note to read it aloud. It seems obvious this is not the first time he has read it.

"Ahem, 'My dear Vali, how long has it been since we saw each other? My brother tells me you are injured, and I worry so for your welfare. How I hope your sister is doing alright under the circumstances.' Oh, how sweet." Loki has an old sarcastic tone that Vali is not familiar with. "Let us read more!"

"Father, don't..." Vali cannot bear to see his father mock him so. Loki continues.

"'Your confession to me caught me by surprise. I hope I did not upset you by my actions. I am not offended by what happened, and I hope we might repeat it. I miss you. Please, let us speak again. With love and care, your Rigs.' Aww, what a sentimental little note from Heimdall's daughter. Seems almost like a love note, does it not?"

Vali is flushed almost pink, and has pursed his lips together in embarrassment and anger. Why should he have to answer to his father over such a thing? Loki slams his hands down on the table, startling Vali, angrily hissing his words.

"You should know better than this, Vali! After all the trouble you've seen with Hela these past weeks, why would you allow such a thing to distract you? It could lead to your death, it could doom our whole family, all over your selfish need to have a woman!"

"But she's not just any woman, father!" He is trying to appear meek, but is failing.

"Oh, they never are. They never are just 'any woman,' but they cause trouble just the same! You have no idea the kind of danger you could put us all in, even her, by not staying away at a time like this!"

"And I have! Where do you think I have gone? I haven't sent her tokens, this one has come to me. I..." Vali is almost choked up, beyond upset that his innocent visit to Dagheim is just now coming to light. "I haven't even told her how I feel, father."

"Good. You won't, because clearly _something_ happened. And yes, she will be disappointed that it cannot, as she says, 'be repeated.'. You will stay here and defend your home as you promised. You are not to pursue Ragfrieda, is that understood?"

"Loki, enough!" Sigyn has just walked into the room, shocked to hear her husband speak in such a way regarding the girl. They have known Rigs since she was a child, entertaining her and watching Vali's friendship with her bloom. Loki rolls his eyes at her, something he hasn't done in ages. "What in Valhalla has gotten into you?"

"Oh Sigyn, you are too like this young girl, so forgetful of the times we struggled together. Lust is a distraction, a dangerous weapon that the enemy doesn't even need to supply!"

"I _love_ her, father! Does that mean nothing to you?"

Loki looks at his son in silence. Even Sigyn cannot fathom the pain her poor son must be feeling at such a rebuttal from Loki. She reaches out to touch her husband's shoulder, and he pulls away harshly.

"The only love that you should know is the love you hold for Hela, to heal her, and move forward. You don't know what love can do to you. You don't know what love will do to all of us. That's enough, it should be enough, and that is final!" Loki tosses the little note to Vali, and storms out of the room.

"Loki, stop! Why would you say such a thing?" Sigyn is awestruck at her husband's attitude.

"Because I remember a particular young maiden wanting to steal my attention away in a time of war, and it nearly cost us both our lives." Loki glares at Sigyn while he says it, no care in his eyes. Though the words come from a place of worry for his son, he finds himself in a place of past resentment.

Sigyn can only embrace her son, who is not sobbing, but cannot hide the tears that well in his eyes. Vali feels as though the victory with Heimdall's words has been all for naught, for if he cannot love Rigs freely, there is no point in pursuing her at all.

The young man's mother pulls him away just enough to raise her hand to his cheek.

"Do you really love her, Vali?"

He doesn't look her in the eye while nodding.

"Let me deal with your father."


	4. Sigyn's Rebuttal

Sigyn chases after Loki, out of the house and down the pathway. She is huffing with every step, angry and equally saddened to hear how her husband describes love as such a burden. Sigyn cannot help but wonder if, even after all this time, he resents her for distracting him from victory.

When she finds Loki, he is standing alone in a field. He stares up at the night sky, admiring the burning stars, bathing himself in memories. Sigyn is quiet, sneaking up on him. She watches him while he sorts through his thoughts. At first, Loki just stands, arms crossed while staring upward. He seems consumed with the sky, watching every light illuminate the ground. Loki holds this stance for some time, at least a few minutes, before lowering his head to the ground. He doesn't uncross his arms, nor does he budge his feet.

In a moment of reflection, Loki removes his wedding ring. He tilts it upward to the sky, letting the light shine in on the inscription that Sigyn had printed inside the band. Loki sighs, remembering the promise that he made to her when she woke so many years ago. She gave him a family, and now he is on the verge of watching it fall apart before his very eyes. Loki places the ring back on his finger, and crosses his arms again.

"He cannot have my blessing, Sigyn. Not now." Loki knew she was standing behind him, as her actions are more than a little predictable. He turns to look at his wife, surprised at what he sees.

Sigyn is crying, not openly sobbing, but clearly very upset. He has not seen her look this way in years; unlike any of the tears she's shed for their children since the Ragnarok, this is the first time since early in their coupling that she cries over Loki's words alone.

"How, after all we've been through, can you talk like that?" Sigyn shakes her head. Her lips are pursed tightly in anger, distorting her face. The moonlight shines upon Sigyn's cheekbones, only highlighting the streams that trickle downward to her chin.

"What do you mean, how can I talk like that? How can I _not_?" To Loki, his words are truth, nothing more and nothing less. He does not comprehend that Sigyn determines the implication as much more sinister.

They stand in the field together, staring at one another. The couple feels as though they are at a crossroads of sorts. Loki still looks angry and guarded. Sigyn's arms are equally folded across her chest. The wind howls through the trees, blowing Sigyn's loose hair across her face; she does not reach up to take it out of her eyes.

"You speak of love as a burden, not a blessing. Is that really how you feel, Loki?"

"Sigyn, I..." Loki walks forward to her, but Sigyn only takes an equal step back. He will have to use his words to answer her instead of his usual charming touch. It puts him in a difficult position.

"I cannot answer you easily, Sigyn. It will break my own heart."

Sigyn's lip quivers with sadness, even a sense of betrayal. _After all this time, am I to just now learn Loki's true feelings over our love?_

"All I want is the truth, Loki. Can it be that you've been hiding this from me all these years?"

"No, you don't understand... I..." Loki is searching for his articulation. Sigyn has a way of stealing it with surprise inquisitions. "Our love was so different. It was not comparable to this."

"Then why use it as an example? Why make accusations that my love was merely a distraction and a danger?"

"Because it was!" Loki finds himself yelling in defense, only just aware of his tone towards Sigyn.

She nods at him, knowingly. It does not surprise her so much that he feels this way, but it does give her grief to know that he has no intention of viewing it differently. After all, the time has passed. Loki has made up his mind.

"Then I am sorry to have caused you so much turmoil in my love. Perhaps our son will know better, and Rigs will have the courage and strength to wait for him to be ready. Goodness knows I clearly wasn't patient enough." She wants so badly to argue with Loki, and prove him wrong. "Perhaps she will have the sight that I did not have, and notice when he is prepared enough for her. But is there ever a proper time? Will Vali ever have enough peace in his life to pursue happiness?"

Loki is not really listening to Sigyn's words; too angry at the passive aggressive way she apologizes for their relationship to pay attention.

"Goodness knows there was never a good time for you, was there? Always some obstacle or another keeping your heart from me. Even when I gave you distance, it wasn't what you wanted. You claim to be so incensed with my closeness, blaming me for distracting you in battle. But I seem to remember a different incident, one in which I ended up wounded for the sake of your greed!" Sigyn has never before given blame to Loki for the circumstances after Pluto, but he has always known that it was his actions that nearly killed her. In this moment, as sincerely as Sigyn had 'thank you' printed on the inside of his wedding band, Loki is wishing that hers said, 'I'm sorry.'

"Vali needs to focus on what lies in front of us. What if the girl doesn't reciprocate? Can you imagine the distraction that heartache would give him?" Loki walks to Sigyn swiftly, too quickly for her to walk away. He grasps her arms tightly, almost as he did the night they met. His face is very close to hers, angry and yet vulnerable.

"Do you... can you..." He is struggling to choke out the words. Sigyn cannot guess what he is thinking, and feels as she did long ago, ready to give up and do his bidding. She feels like collapsing.

"Sigyn, when I... when I lost you, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't live. I didn't go back to Asgard to win my crown because I had lost my reason for existing." Loki is tearing up, his eyes red and welling up fast. "I can't imagine seeing Vali go through that... even for a second, even for a moment, if only for a shred of young love. Not now, not when we need him!" He is already armed with Sigyn in his clutches, and so Loki kisses her. The skies open up with heavy rain above them just as his lips meet hers.

For the first time since they met, Sigyn understands that it was Loki's heartache that kept him on Vanaheim, not his sense of duty. It adds a certain charm to the memory of seeing him walk into her tent to clean her face. As they kiss, Loki's grip loosens, and Sigyn falls into him. There is no doubt that he loves her.

The rain drenches the couple in the field, but their passionate exchange is interrupted by Grid's yells from the house to come back quickly.


	5. A Force of Change

Sigyn and Loki run back into the house, and meet Vali with Grid in front of Hela's room. The girl is rocking back and forth as usual, but her eyes are cloudy in a way they haven't seen before. They are reflecting back an eerie shade of purple. There seems to be an invisible wind in her bedroom, knocking the window panes open and shut. It is possible that Hela's magic is creating the atmosphere, but it seems evident that she does not have control over her surroundings.

"She has been mumbling, talking, as if she's having a conversation with her vision. She must have foresight." Grid explains that Hela's mumbling went from almost inaudible mumbling to clearly spoken dialogue with an unknown stranger. The language was one that even Grid was not familiar with, as if Hela was speaking backwards. Hela has always been prone to visions, though her interpretation of such things was always rudimentary at best. With no one to guide her, Hela often felt her visions were old memories instead of warnings, and as such she did not share them willingly.

Vali steps into the room, not fearful that his sister will be afraid of him in this state. He sits on the edge of her bed, as he's done for the last few weeks, having given up on his potions for now.

Grid whispers in Vali's ear:

"Try and find out where she is. We will have to put the clues together to find out what she sees, but perhaps she will tell us enough to get her back to us."

Vali nods at Grid, and squeezes the old woman's hand in response. He speaks gradually and articulates clearly.

"My love, what do you see?"

The girl's rocking slows, and her head turns from side to side as she interprets Vali's voice. In her mind, it echoes with long reverberations, sounding similar to the conversational voice on the other end of her vision.

"I see Asgard."

Sigyn breathes hard at this, happy to hear her daughter's voice in something that is not a scream. Though Hela's voice is deep and enchanted, she sounds more like herself than she has in weeks. Without thinking, Sigyn tries to talk with Hela:

"Where are you in Asgard, my dear? Who is there with you?"

Sigyn's voice makes Hela rock faster, interrupting the vision. "Who is that?" she asks. The purple glaze over Hela's eyes fades in and out slightly. Grid shakes her head 'no,' nodding only to Vali. He repeats the words his mother asked again, this time slower.

Hela makes a movement as though she is looking around a room. "I am in the Bifrost. I see..." She stops, as if she cannot find the words. "I see my brother. I see Thor. I see Heimdall."

"Is that all? Do you see Modi?" Vali's voice is the only one that can reach her. It is a meager balm, yet it does give him hope for a moment until she responds.

"I do know Modi. I do not know you."

All who are present give each other strange looks, not sure how to interpret her words. Grid puts her hand on Vali's, and whispers a specific question for him to ask; she seems to be the only one capable of understanding Hela's riddle. The young man swallows hard before asking:

"What is your name?"

"I cannot give you my name. I only know a past name."

"What do you mean, a past name?"

"I cannot give you my name."

Vali is frustrated at this answer. It seems that Hela is not in the room herself, but is embodied as someone else. This fact only makes understanding the vision that much more difficult.

"What can you tell us?"

"I am here, Lokison. I am here."

"You're in the Bifrost? You're waiting on Narvlheim? Where are you?"

"I do not know such place."

Loki pushes his way in, standing behind Hela, wanting to try his own magic to pull her out of the trance. He has watched her confused rocking go on long enough. Grid looks at him with a careful glance, implying that Loki cannot touch her. He nods slightly, and holds his hands out in front of him, hoping that some energy from him will bring her back.

Vali continues to question her, equally hoping to pull her out with words.

"Do you know you belong to the house of Loki?"

"Lokison clan will forever be affected. Lokison."

"Tell me, where are you?"

"I am in a lonely place. I do not know you."

Loki's magic has yet to make any change. In his frustration, he asks a question:

"Do you come to destroy us?"

Hela starts rocking faster and faster, her eyes becoming more clouded with purple instead of becoming lighter with Sigyn's voice. The wind in the room gets stronger. Her arms rise high above her head, as if she's reaching up for something that is just out of touch. Tears are falling from her eyes, streaming constantly. She makes no sound for several minutes, only reaching upward, her mouth open in a silent scream.

Hela's voice becomes even deeper, as if it comes from a being much larger than she. It terrifies them to hear it. Vali is desperate to understand her words, but has an even harder time comprehending her speech when it is so low.

"Lokison clan will forever be affected. Never be the same. Or will be the same. Same before destruction."

Sigyn cannot stand watching her daughter angle her body upward as she does, and speaks again: "Destruction from Modi?"

Hela's eyes begin to clear, responding to her mother's voice, coming out of the trance. She faints onto the bed. Grid nods to them all, signaling that it is time for them to leave the room again to allow the girl to sleep. They reconvene in the kitchen to discuss the vision and piece together the puzzle that is imminent destruction.


	6. Interpretations

"I think it's clear that Modi will come with a false name. Do you all agree?" Vali is the first to try and piece the words together, anxious to get the interpretation completed so that they might be better prepared for Modi.

"I do, Vali," Sigyn replies, almost shaking from anxiety.

"What do you think she meant by her words about our family? Do you think she's looking at someone's death?" Loki is concerned that the message is negative, that Hela was the embodiment of Modi. What other sort of fate could one of them meet that would forever affect them as predicted?

"I have no idea, father. I believe it is even more important now for us to be protective of Hela."

Grid exits Hela's room, and reports that the girl is finally at rest. The old woman looks at each of them individually, searching their expressions. There are tears on her face, though she doesn't speak more than her account of how the girl is doing. She is hoping that one of them will have picked up on some of the clues she gathered from the girl's words, and stop focusing on destruction.

So far, none of them have said what she wanted to hear.

"Could we watch her and see if she has the vision again? Maybe then we could ask her more about where she is. If Modi is in the outer darkness, it certainly would be a lonely place." Vali cannot think of another way. If Hela has foresight, why not attempt to use it?

"No, we cannot risk her being lost to us in trance."

"I don't know what else we can do, then," Vali sighs.

"Perhaps we should not stay here." Sigyn looks at Vali with a cautious expression, recalling the conversation she just had with Loki over her son's heart. But she does know the best solution.

"We should go to Dagheim." Loki shoots a look of anger at Sigyn for the suggestion. "Think about it, Loki. We'll have the protection of a Seer who might actually understand the visions. Modi would not expect us there, regardless of what form he takes. It's not as if we wouldn't have a place to stay."

Vali's eyebrows rise at the thought, and he thinks to qualify it with an exception:

"Ragfrieda is my friend and nothing more, Father. It reaches no further than that. There is nothing to fear in that arena. Please consider it, if that is your hesitation. Don't let it be."

Loki shifts his glance from Vali to Sigyn, wondering if they had planned to suggest this even before Hela's vision. But his wife is right: the move would be unexpected. Staying at home makes them all sitting ducks.

"Fine. But I will be watching you, Vali. You are not to find yourself alone with that girl again until we can be certain that this is over." He says so with finality, still aggravated. Loki leaves the room to head for the Bifrost, not wanting to waste time in alerting Heimdall to their need for refuge.

Only Grid understands Hela's vision. She has great hope for their future.

Thor's son has escaped to the outer darkness, the remnants of worlds still leftover from the Ragnarok. While this place is usually reserved as a high punishment for criminals against Asgard, Modi came here by choice. After all, he never would have found Rasvelg if he hadn't.  
Armed with Mjolnir, Modi has the upper hand against Thor when he returns to Asgard. But his first plan of attack is to set upon Narvlheim and rid the universe of Jotun filth. In the few weeks since leaving Asgard's city in ruins, Modi has been gathering every loosened criminal he could find, planning the attack. With the power of the hammer, Modi can send them anywhere, and so he teaches them the coordinates that Hela gave him for portal sites into Narvlheim.  
Away from home, Modi's cape has been torn away. It makes his gold armor all the more sinister. He lets his hair grow longer, matted but still reaching his shoulders. He also lets facial hair grow, forcing a more mature countenance; without knowing it, Modi is a spitting image of Thor. He is still not yet skilled enough with Mjolnir to do much more than fly forward, but Modi is learning. When he conjures storms, the lightning is not as pure as Thor's. The strikes shine red, not blue. They echo his hatred.  
Since deceiving Hela, Modi has grown even colder, if such a thing is possible. For all his anger over the frost giant blood that flows in the veins of Loki and his children, Modi has let his own heart freeze over with greed.  
He watches the asteroids that crash together all over these parts, and tries to identify which realms are floating where. He remembers feeling and hearing the Ragnarok as it ripped through his home, destroying the palace. Modi, still too cold to show real emotion, stirs deep inside while watching the remnants pass by. A large chunk here, a smaller one there; all of them raining downward towards the new Asgard, crashing in the atmosphere of Narvlheim. He knows that if their sky did not burn with so many different realms, world would not exist. Modi cannot help but feel a grand injustice for the fact that such destruction would bear life for the Lokison clan.  
"Are you ready to attack, Master?" A disgusting-looking orange monster approaches Modi; he is covered in scales like a snake, but walks like a man with a bad hip. This creature is one of Modi's many minions.  
"Not yet, good soldier. Soon."


	7. Refuge with Allies

Loki arrives on Dagheim with his family, walking at the front of their caravan. Vali showed them his most common passageway, and Loki decided it was best to come in by disguise instead of using the Bifrost. Grid insisted on staying on Narvlheim to assist Freyr in the Stewardship duties while Loki was gone; they all agreed, and felt that Hela would still be alright even if she didn't recognize her family.

The clan is hidden in a cloak of camouflage; Sigyn takes care of this, hiding them all as regular citizens of Dagheim, dark skin and all. They look like visitors, but do not seem terribly out of place, more like they come from a different area of the realm. Together the family walks to Heimdall's home, trying to stay inconspicuous; Vali pushes his sister in a chair with wheels, careful not to touch her and preventing any outbursts. Loki does not turn around to look at them, only wanting to get to Heimdall's home safely.

When they arrive, Heimdall's son the Seer answers the door. He nods at them, and recognizes that they are the expected visitors. The young man holds his arm open to enter their home, and the Lokison family enters as swiftly as possible, only taking time to get Hela in the door without touch.

Loki embraces Heimdall when they enter the house, and Sigyn dissipates their costumes.

"Thank you, old friend. We came as fast as we could, though I hope we will not be a burden on your household."

"A burden? No. I remember Loki the burden, and you are anything but that now. Please make yourselves at home, anything that is mine is also yours." Heimdall greets Sigyn as well; they kiss one another on either cheek, and then nod at Vali. It now seems evident to Vali why Rigs would peck his cheek as she did last time he saw her, though he mistook it for a real kiss. She is not present. Vali does not know if his father told Heimdall of the note she sent when he came to ask for a stay; in any case, Vali does not speak of it.

"Have you any word from Thor?" Loki asks, sitting down and trying to feel less uncomfortable. It is not like him to need help, let alone ask for it; especially from someone he once feared so.

"I have not, though I assume if there were any trouble in Asgard that I would know it. My son has seen nothing from them, nor has he sensed Modi. Wherever the boy is, he is far out of my son's ability to see him."

Loki nods, not surprised by this answer.

...

Vali has set Hela up in a guest room alone, leaving her to rock back and forth as she has been doing. He placed a small plate of bread at the foot of her bed, hoping that she will come out of the trance long enough to nourish herself. He is wishing that they had brought Grid with them, as in her current state, Vali does not know how to help his sister.

"I hope to see you again soon, dear Hela. I shall return often to check on you." He blows her a kiss, and turns around. Ragfrieda stands before him, armed with questions.

"My friend, how is she?"

Vali turns back around to look at Hela, still rocking. Her eyes never did fully clear after the last vision, remaining clouded in the same grayish hue that she has had since being taken home from Asgard so many weeks ago. Whatever spell Modi forced her into, be it grief, guilt, or a broken heart, it still plagues her. The mere sight of Hela makes Vali unbelievably sad and hopeless at the prospect of facing Modi again, afraid that even if he destroys the enemy, his sister will never return.

"She is unchanged. We don't know what is wrong with her. Last night, she had a vision, and spoke to us in tongues and odd voices." Vali shakes his head. "I fear she is already lost to us, as so much time has passed without a change."

Rigs looks at Hela, equally saddened to see the girl in such a state. As much as she was Vali's friend, Rigs sat beside Hela as she started to learn magic. They might as well be sisters, too.

"Oh Vali, I am so sorry about this." She steps forward, only a single step. "I do wish there was something I could do for you."

Vali looks at Rigs, distracted by his sister's quiet rocking, but wants to reach out. Her eyes shine at him, a deeper golden yellow than usual; she looks different from the last time he saw her. Her hair is wrapped in a tight strip of cloth today, piled on top of her head, making the girl appear much taller than she is; even so, she does not make a move, merely waiting for Vali's response.

He wants badly to express his feelings to her, but cannot come up with the words. Vali nods, looking back at Hela quickly, and then walking out of the room. Rigs is passed by, surprised by her friend's want to dismiss her so. _Did he not get my note?_

_Or did he simply made the mistake I was afraid of?_

Vali doesn't turn to see Rigs as he walks down the hallway, but his fists are clenched so tight in angst and frustration that there are marks left on his palms.


	8. Hela's Dreams

She is falling, into darkness. There is so little light that she cannot tell if the sensation is true falling or flying upward into nothing. Hela holds her hands out at her sides, grasping for anything that might take hold. Nothing.

Hela can tell her voice is hoarse from yelling for help. No one is there for her. She is alone. Falling into the nothing, waiting for no one, going nowhere. There is nothing left of this Universe.

Her body is slammed onto the ground of a place she has never seen. However, she still rises to her feet, which are wobbly but stable enough to walk. There are pains everywhere, but none like the one that crackles up her leg. _I must have landed on it_, she thinks, and hobbles over the terrain, looking for anyone who might be slightly familiar. There are trees in this world, though they are not like any she has seen before; they are taller than those that grow on Narvlheim, and even those on Asgard. The trunks are thick and scaled with tough bark. For a moment, Hela considers climbing them, staring upward for a perch that might be suitable, but she decides it is better to stay on the ground than go so high.

She can sense no animals, and tries to reach out to them through animal speak; there is nothing. Clearly there must be some life here beyond the plants or even they would not exist. But Hela walks, one foot in front of the other, searching and finding no purchase for her efforts.

Hela journeys for what feels like hours on the strange realm, sometimes calling out for others, never hearing any responses. She is growing tired, and wants so badly to rest, but is afraid that the plants alone will overpower her while she sleeps. The girl continues to move, just as a torrential rain begins to pour down from the skies, forcing her to drag her wounded leg behind her in the ever-deepening mud that forms at her feet.

On and on, the trails never end. Is she walking in circles? The rain makes her cold and tired. She is crying. She is calling out for help, for her mother, for her father. All at once, the rain stops, immediately ceasing. Hela looks all around her, noticing that the trees themselves seem to be controlling the rainfall, watching her weep. _Perhaps they are the only living things on this planet,_ she thinks.

The sun that was previously beating down on Hela's back is lower in the sky, reflecting off the water that has fallen from the trees above. Hela follows the trail, still praying to find shelter or people. But she finds a lake instead.

The water is clear. Hela can see a few small fish, which bodes well for the prospect of other life here. She treads lightly with her foot, testing the temperature, finding it just a little cool to jump in straight away but warm enough to be comfortable. The girl wades in slowly, washing her face and her hair, taking the time to relish in the cool relief of her leg pain.

Hela stands still in the water, unmoving. The ripples that lapped at her sides have dissipated, making her brown tunic appear almost black, soaking in more and more water while she stays put. The girl looks down at the water to see her reflection, hoping to not find any other injuries to her face.

The reflection stares back at the girl, who tips her head from side to side, somewhat confused.

"How odd," she says aloud.

"What is odd?" A voice from far away asks.

"I do not know me. I do not know you."

"Where are you?"

"I am in a new place. I do not know this place. There are trees... there is water."

"Do you see anyone?" The voice is calm, slow, and articulated. It is a man's voice.

"I... I only see the water."

"Can you tell me more?"

Hela looks around the realm, trying to gather her wits.

"There are people here. They are wandering. They look lost."

"Okay... what else is there?"

The girl walks out of the water, asking for help. No one can hear her. She is invisible. The people here are very tall, tall like the trees.

"The rain... the rain is coming again."

"Do you hear thunder?"

"Not yet." Hela finds herself cowering beneath one of the trees, waiting for the lightning and thunder to begin. There are some clouds gathering above, pressing together in odd shapes. But nothing comes.

"Not yet." She repeats.

"Do you see anyone that you know? Can you recognize anyone?"

"I... I..." Hela is searching the faces for familiarity, but finds none. "I cannot. No one knows me. I don't know me. I don't know you."

The girl keeps wandering, trying to stay out of the rain, trying to find a place to stay among the lost people. They are all crying. They are all lost. Where are they going? Where have they come from? Hela is frantic, just as upset as she was a few moments ago. Or was it moments at all? Has she been here for hours?

"Come back to us, love. Please, Come back to us." The voice from far away beckons to the girl, calling her out of the vision. The voice is familiar. _Can it be?_

"My love, please return to me." The people are shrinking. The clouds are dissipating.

"My child, I love you."

These words strike a chord in Hela's heart, and she is calling out. She is screaming at the top of her lungs. The girl is frantic. Suddenly, a flash of light hits her, hard. Hela can feel her body on the ground, but she cannot move. She cannot speak. The girl is frozen.

Sigyn is holding Hela, who has collapsed in her arms after screaming out. The purple mist that covered Hela's eyes a few minutes ago has again dissipated. There are no sounds escaping her now, and the wind that Hela brought into the room is gone as well. Loki stands in the doorway, watching as Vali tries to gather what Hela's vision was trying to tell them. Sigyn wipes her face of the tears, and lays her daughter on the bed softly. It is a warm night, and so they do not bother to cover her as she rests.

Loki steps in after Sigyn and Vali have left the bed. All are essentially drenched in tears, less sure of what she was trying to say than even the other night.

"I will take watch tonight. Go rest." Loki kisses Sigyn softly, and pats Vali as he walks by, sitting in the small chair beside his daughter's bed. Nothing will harm her this night, save for the demons that plague her mind. Loki knows the feeling all too well.


	9. Sleeplessness

Sigyn and Vali leave Hela's room; his mother insists on staying with Loki a little longer, and bids the young man goodnight. Vali walks to his room in the dead of night after the last attempt to decode Hela's vision. He takes careful steps in the hallway, not wanting to wake up anyone in Heimdall's family, though he is sure they are just silently listening for more of Hela's screaming. It would be a miracle if anyone in the realm could sleep through that.

The young man is torn in mind and heart. This is the second vision that Hela has had in this madness, though they cannot know how long she was lost in her other world. Her rocking was so severe that Hela was banging her head on the back wall of the room, forcing Sigyn and Vali to pull the blanket underneath her forward so that she might get some relief. It is as if they have to watch the girl destroy herself.

His hatred for Modi is growing. Though he knows better than to focus on such negativity, Vali is back to blaming himself.

As he walks down the hallway, Vali has to feel for where the rooms begin. There is a vague light that comes in from a faraway window, but not much else. Dagheim residents appreciate the dark, as their days are so overly bright and hot that the dry and cool air that permeates the evenings is savored. He could light a small candle within his hands, but is afraid that even a small light would echo too brightly in the halls.

Vali yawns while walking, suddenly overcome with fatigue. He must have spent more time with Hela than he thought.

By the time Vali makes it to his room, he is ready to collapse. He removes his tunic and changes into a sleeping robe before crawling into bed. Vali says prayers before closing his eyes, to his brother and Valhalla that Hela will be cured. He falls asleep swiftly, hopeful to dream of less dark and treacherous things than those that plague his poor sister.

...

Vali wakes not even an hour later, still surrounded by almost total blackness. The tiny light that helped him find his room is nearly gone, but the young man cannot fall back asleep. He no longer hears the wheezing sound of aching wood, indicating that his father must have fallen asleep beside Hela and is no longer rocking in the chair beside her. The only sound that seems to come through the thick darkness is a dripping fountain of water that gets louder with every splash.

Vali rises out of bed, sitting on the edge, picking his fingernails and occasionally running a hand through his hair to keep it out of his eyes. He is exhausted, and yet wide awake. The sleeping robe he wears is open in the front, making Vali feel more exposed than he would like; the young man is very modest, a quality he learned from his mother long ago. He tries to tie it around his waist a little more snugly so as not to let it open further. Vali stands to walk the hallways, slipping on a pair of soft fur slippers to keep his feet quiet, hopeful that being up will tire his mind again.

The hall that seemed so dark before is now completely abandoned of light; emptiness and a worry hang on the walls themselves. Vali tries to force his eyes to adjust, taking very small steps, planning to make it to Hela's room and back in just a few quiet minutes. It would be quite a disruption to wake the house at this hour, so he must be careful not to accidentally hit anything along the edges of the floor.

His hands are out at his sides, feeling for the openings of the rooms, peering in to see if he knows the residents. Vali passes the room that his mother occupies and sees her sleeping soundly, which gives him some comfort to know that she feels well enough to get some rest. He continues down a few more doors toward the window, trying hard to have lighter feet. The young man can't help but creak slightly with each step, his weight pulling on the old house from side to side.

When Vali reaches Hela's room, he peers in to see Loki sleeping soundly at her side, sitting in the chair but unmistakably leaning backward from exhaustion. Hela is actually at rest, snoring somewhat, reminding Vali of the many times he teased her for it. This scene brings him yet more peace, and the young man decides it is time to try his own bed again, smiling slightly before turning around to go back down the hall.

The darkness is all consuming as Vali walks away from the window. He cannot see much of anything except for the vague shapes of doorways on one side to the next. Vali's hands are outstretched on either flank, feeling again to find his way, telling himself that the dark does not frighten him. In reality, he still fears for the monsters that could come out to him at any time; Vali has to suppress his inner child.

His hand cusps the edge of the doorway, feeling for space. It is most definitely open, more than just a crack, indicating his guest room. Vali turns to see back down the hallway before entering, again trying to get his eyes to adjust, but failing; the moon that shined in the small opening before is now gone, leaving only the silhouette of the window for him to peer at.

Vali steps into the room, closing the door behind him. He feels the floor with his feet, shuffling quietly, still grasping out his hands for anything to recognize as an anchor. This house is still a stranger to him even after so many years of being a guest.

When Vali reaches the bed, he starts by sitting on its edge, removing the slippers from his feet and slightly loosening the tie on his robe. He yawns loudly, blinking his eyes a few times, and then turns around to swing his legs up onto the mattress.

Vali's eyes meet Ragfrieda's, as she is sitting up and staring right back into his face. This is not his room.


	10. New Secrets

"Rigs, you frightened me!" Vali whispers after gasping at the view of her face. Her golden eyes almost glow in the darkness.

"Excuse me? I frightened you? You are in my room!" She is equally taken aback, whispering fiercely back at Vali. He woke her up by stepping into the room, and then scared her even more by crawling into bed with her. _What was he thinking?_

"Get back to your room, Lokison." Rigs sighs, too tired to play games with him, ordering him out and down the hall.

"Rigs, I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"I will forgive you in the morning. Go back to your room."

Vali swings his legs back to the side of the bed, embarrassed and tired. He stands to go back to the door, but feels helpless; there is no window in Rigs' room, making the darkness all encompassing. He holds his hands before his face, and blows quietly, lighting them from within with a soft glow. Vali mimics candlelight within his hands to escape the girl's room out of necessity.

But Vali is not paying attention, despite the light. He trips and falls, hard, on the wooden floor.

"You fool, you're going to wake up my father!" Rigs hisses at him from the bed, clearly aggravated.

"Ouch..." Vali says, rubbing his knee slightly, relieving the sting of falling. "Oh, shush, I do not fear your father, go back to sleep and I will be on my way."

"Well, it's too late now, I am awake." Rigs is exasperated. The whispers are still hushed, but her tone is quicker and angrier. She puffs outward loudly, and pulls a blanket over her head.

Vali is standing again, almost to the doorway, when he stops to turn and look at Rigs again. She is still hidden beneath her blanket, either hiding or cursing him quietly. She could be doing both, and neither would surprise him.

To Rigs, Vali's arrival in her room is more than an annoyance. He has brought her no tokens since arriving to stay in her home. She has done all she can think of to avoid him out of embarrassment, even so much as finding excuses to be out of the house every day, but could not be prepared for such an invasion of her space as this. Rigs does not have the patience to hold back her tongue at this hour.

He feels too guilty to just leave. Vali walks back to the bed, sitting softly on its edge. Rigs pushes the blanket off of her head quickly. It is apparent that the girl is irritated by his return.

"What? What do you want?"

"I'm sorry, Rigs. I'm sorry I couldn't return your note."

She closes her eyes, too tired to have this conversation now, but it seems apparent he is not going to leave until they discuss it. Vali looks at her with an expression of apology, but she cannot see it.

"It's fine. It was nothing, anyway."

"Okay... so the note was nothing." Vali looks at her, trying to read if she is going to talk with him. Her eyes are forcefully shut and her lips are pursed tightly.

"But the kiss... that was not nothing, right?"

Vali's question is not accusatory, but curious. He wants to know the real answer. It burns him to still not be sure of her intentions or thoughts when he reached forward to her the last time they were together by the lake.

Rigs sighs loudly as a response.

"Yes, it was nothing. You needed comfort. I simply offered it to you. I didn't resist when you kissed me because you took me by surprise. That is all."

This answer surprises Vali, and almost makes him angry. But perhaps her answer is the truth. He is clouded with fatigue too much to remember the sentimentality of her note, or even the expression she gave him when they first arrived on Dagheim with Hela. She clearly felt more for the boy, but at this hour, he cannot see her emotions any more than he can see his way out to the hallway.

"Alright then. Goodnight, Rigs."

He rises from the bed, ready to venture out again, even more careful with his steps than before. But something stops him, forcing the young man to turn and look at the girl in the bed one last time.

As Vali stares, silent, he cannot help but notice the tiny gleam of light that reflects off Rigs' face. It seems she has shed a tear. Vali's face turns to the side, even forming a smile, now certain of the meaning behind Rigs' note to repeat the scene at the lake. He steps back to her again, sure to make no sound. The young man kneels beside the bed instead of sitting on it, careful that his clothing does not shuffle with noise that could wake her.

Now that his knees are on the floor, Vali isn't sure what to do. Why did he come over? As he considers the foolish action of waking Rigs again, she rolls over in bed, now facing out towards the door, very close to him.

Her eyes are closed, and she is surely dreaming. Vali admires her for a few minutes, smiling at the many different plans that go through his head. He could move the hair that pulls across her face, or simply wake her with his lips. He could do nothing, and leave her a token to wake to. Perhaps the charm of presenting Rigs with her favorite flower might still work.

Vali isn't aware that he sighs quietly under his breath while weighing the options.

"If you're going to kiss me, Lokison, you'd better do it." Rigs doesn't open her eyes, but is well aware that Vali kneels beside her.

The young man does as he is told, taking great care and wasting no seconds when pulling her face close to his.


	11. Affair in the Night

Rigs half expected Vali to bow out of the request, seeing as he seemed to lack courage lately. But his kiss is forceful, strong, as if it is a release of some sort. Vali is almost moaning throughout, not getting enough of her, now clutching the sides of her face gently with both of his hands. He is conscious not to have the tight kiss he had before; instead, he gently places his lips between hers, pressing in rhythm, taking her in.

She rises slightly from her position on the bed, wanting to allow him greater purchase. Even at this hour, she is awake enough to be aware of his passion, and yet has no more reservations about his feelings towards her. Rigs finally returns his kiss with equal fervor, holding up her hand to his face and trailing her fingertips down his neck. She notices that his sleeping robe is almost open wide in the front, allowing her to see the skin that is always so carefully covered at other times.

Vali is entranced by their encounter, forgetting his father's warnings about the distraction Rigs could bring. But in this moment, nothing else exists, just the quiet and the darkness of the room. He is overtaken by the sensation of her breath, the sweet smell of her hair, which falls in tiny individual braids much longer than he's ever seen her wear. Vali wants to be sweet, not driven by lust, but cannot guarantee what will take over.

He moves to the edge of the bed, and he leans over her to continue. Vali is careful not to overstep her boundaries, should she have reservations. After all, anyone would be vulnerable in the middle of the night. If he leaves now, she might consider it a dream. She gives him no cues to affirm or deny him other than returning his kiss.

Vali can hardly stand it. Leaning over her is not enough. He wraps his strong arms around her figure, which is soft and full, pulling her back off the bed so that he can embrace her properly. She is sitting up next to him now, completely enveloped in Vali's arms. The boy she met years ago is now a man, able to lift her with ease and yet touch so tenderly that it makes her crave more. Rigs is no stranger to passion, but has never felt it like this, so foreign and so familiar all at once. Vali pulls away to look her in the eye.

"Rigs, do you want me?"

She runs her hands up through his hair, drawing further away for a few moments to look at him. She is shaking with anticipation. His question makes her quiver even more. In the time since the kiss began, their eyes have adjusted slightly, allowing one another to focus on specific structures. Vali's face is smooth, punctuated with well-placed dimples and the dark brows that shadow the rest of his features. Rigs is so dark that her eyes highlight her whole face; her mouth is only just visible because of the dew that is now present because of their joined lips. They are like swollen pillows, waiting to be touched once more. While Vali waits for her to move in again, he grazes her lips with the tips of his fingers, verifying that the actions are real.

Rigs takes his hand in hers, and nods. "Yes, Lokison, I want you. I want you _now_." She leans in to kiss him again, starting with short bursts of pecks on his lips, slightly parting her mouth to signal that she wants to take in more of him. He obliges, and gives her a taste. While doing so, Rigs places his hand on her side, allowing him to grasp at her nightgown. He does not yet feel satisfied, but is so relieved at the gesture she returns that Vali places his forehead against hers for a moment.

"Oh, Ragfrieda..." he sighs, quietly whispering her name; Vali says it in complete form on purpose.

"Yes, Vali?" The girl says his in return, sending a shock up his spine to hear it with an unfamiliar inflection. As if from fantasy, Rigs utters it with a long exhale.

"I want you. I can't stop... I..." The confession is too soon. To say precisely how he feels would be unwise. So Vali looks her in the eye, putting one of his hands down to hers, picking it up to investigate. He pulls open the fingers, touching the inside of Rigs' palm with a tickling lightness. Vali then embraces her whole hand, intertwining their fingers, and he kisses her hard again while squeezing three times. She does not know his code, but it makes Vali feel less like he is not being fully honest.

Rigs has her hand tightly clasped in his, while the other is still alternating somewhere between touching his hair and pushing against his neck. It is muscular and thick, flexing in each movement. She stops kissing his lips and moves to the crux of where his neck meets his shoulder; the girl moves his sleeping robe to the side just enough to get a better look.

At first, she just tickles with her fingertips, listening to him breathe. His inhales are deep, but fast. She can see his pulse from merely watching the neck; Vali's anxiety is obvious. She puts her index finger across his lips.

"Shh, my sweet Vali," she says, keeping eye contact with him. The dark blue eyes that she is used to are shining back a lovely jewel tone. Rigs leans in and lays her lips on his shoulder once, twice, sprawling up his neck to the base of his ear. Vali is breathing more heavily with every touch. She manipulates his face to the other side, reversing the movements from his other ear back to the base of his neck. She grips his deltoid, taking in the sensation of the soft and hairless skin on his chest. In her passion, Rigs bites his shoulder.

For reasons Vali does not understand, he feels almost like howling out in pleasure.

She grasps his hand harder than he already had it, almost hurting him, directing his arm to her thigh. She lets go and directs him to squeeze her while she continues to give him love bites around his collarbone. Vali is still anxious. He wants to take in more of her, but wants to feel her take control of him at the same time.

Rigs finally pulls away, just long enough to turn around in bed, and directs his hands to the buttons at the back of her nightgown. He echoes her movements to him, leaning in and kissing the skin between each open clasp, admiring the dark and silky shade of her form. The gown slips down her shoulders, stopping only at her voluptuous breasts, but Vali is still focusing on her face only. She turns again to face him, standing him up beside her while she rises.

"Are you ready?" she asks, trying to gauge why he still looks so nervous. He only slowly nods back at her. She removes her undergarments, otherwise still covered with her gown. His eyes don't leave her expression. Rigs runs her fingers along the seams of his robe, slipping it past his shoulders and down to the floor. He stands exposed before her, and she leans in to kiss him deeply again. Rigs cannot help but notice the now healed gash in his side, and carefully avoids it. She can otherwise feel him up leaning up against her, impressively.

"Well, it seems you _can_ surprise me, Lokison," she says coyly. He laughs under his breath in response, not concerned about her thoughts on this. But her attitude changes, and she pushes him to sit on the bed. Even though Vali is much taller than she is, while straddling him she appears to loom over. She is still mostly covered in her nightgown, and intends to stay that way; though she wants to feel him, the night is still too cool for her to rely on his nonexistent body heat to keep her warm.

"I am full of surprises, Rigs," Vali says, inching himself closer to the undulating body above him, clutching her waist with his large hands.

"Not if I surprise you first," she replies, pressing her body down onto his, granting him glorious entrance. He closes his eyes and lets out a deep groan. Her eyes are open, enjoying the control. She pulses with him a few times before whispering into his ear:

"Make love to me, Lokison."

He indulges her wish without argument.

...

It is still dark when Vali and Rigs find themselves wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted from their release of tension towards one another. Rigs lies on top of his bare chest, sweating, not wanting him to leave her bed. For the first time in several weeks, the girl feels satisfied.

Nevertheless, she is uncomfortable. Vali notices that Rigs keeps manipulating her feet to remove more and more sheets from the bed.

"What's the matter?"

"It's just so hot. I can't sleep."

"I can fix that," Vali says, and kisses her forehead lightly. As he does so, Vali concentrates on the cold spell he learned with Narvi when they were children. Rigs lets out a sigh of relief as Vali's whole body becomes cold like a refreshing glass of water, then returns to normal. It is just enough for them both.

"Ahh, thank you, that is so much better." Rigs is too tired to have noticed Vali's whole countenance change from pale beige to light blue beneath her, but it matters not.

Vali has wits enough about him to return to his own guest room before the sun rises. He leaves Rigs' favorite flower resting on her bed table before leaving, hopeful that in the morning it won't all prove to be nothing more than a dream.


	12. Plan of Attack

Modi and his warriors are continually watching the realms below, plotting the attack. It is almost time to come down. Modi has mastered the lightning and hidden weather powers within Mjolnir, even discovering some faculties that Thor was not aware of. The boy cannot wait to destroy his father's house, and is even more anxious to begin the process of tearing apart Loki's family.

He has become more and more sinister looking as time goes on. The boy cannot see the people individually, as he is not a seer, but he can gather from the way Asgard's atmosphere becomes more clouded that there are armies waiting for him. Narvlheim looks as peaceful as ever, leading Modi to believe that Vali would be waiting for him on Asgard and not in the enemy's home realm. Modi was able to trick Hela into injuring Vali during their last skirmish, but surely that has healed, and the enemy will be at full strength again. Modi cannot wait to go up against the fiend with Mjolnir instead of magic. If his father always beat Loki with it, surely he could defeat Vali.

The creatures that band behind Modi are equally disgusting with greed and expectation. They hope that destroying Asgard will grant them a new home, away from the outer darkness and the constant reminder of the last Ragnarok. Some are ancient creatures that have been dormant for many centuries, while others are more recent criminals who have a specific vendetta against Thor and Loki.

Modi is careful with some of them, aware of his own hypocrisy. He personally slays all of the frost giants found among the survivors. Beyond what lies in Narvlheim, all the Jotun are extinct.

Dagheim is too far south for Modi's view, and if not for the sake of Heimdall's presence, the fallen prince would leave it alone. He does not fear anyone on Dagheim, clearly not familiar with Ragfrieda and her aim. It brings him no pause to consider that they might become an ally to Asgard. He has eyes set for his former home and Narvlheim, but does have plans to conquer Dagheim once all of the real enemies are put asunder.

Without Rasvelg to act as a mascot to his whim, Modi has to plan his entry into Asgard very carefully. He could come in quietly, slay his father while he sleeps, and then make fools of the people who would dare suggest that Vali would make a better King. But the boy is too much one for showmanship, and wishes to make an impression that will echo through the ages. This means a quiet entry is out of the question.

Either way, he must destroy the enemy's will to live first, and go to Narvlheim.

He holds Mjolnir in both of his arms so as not to become unevenly strong with its magic; should he drop the weapon carelessly, it could devastate the unstable ground here in the outer darkness, as it once did. The hammer seems to change its own appearance, looking darker than it did when in Thor's hands, echoing the owner's energy. Without the charm to qualify the worthy handler, Mjolnir becomes an all-powerful tool for annihilation.

Modi makes no mistake to educate his followers on the planned genocide of the people below.

"We are to take no prisoners. We are to end their lives swiftly and move forward. We cannot have any hope of victory if we take pity on them. Remember that the people on Narvlheim are swine, that they are not of this universe, and that they deserve their fate. Is that understood, soldiers?"

"Yes, Master!" they yell back in unison.

"Once we obliterate Narvlheim, we will move straightaway to Asgard. To keep ourselves hidden, we must act quickly. Asgard's army will come to us if we give it time to do so. Are there any questions?"

"No, Master!" they yell back with the same inflection as before. Some of the monsters are ready for battle, too tired with age to argue against the plan. Others are not so convinced that Modi's power is not misguided, but they do not worry themselves with that. They are waiting for him to fail so that they might take his place.

"My soldiers, you have been tirelessly working under me for some time now, showing me your great power and worth." Modi still speaks like a prideful Captain, regardless of the state of his meager army. "I am happy to call you good men, even though some of you are far from it."

The monsters laugh, aware that none of them would qualify as good men by any definition.

"We will ride into Narvlheim in two cycles. We will enter at night, when they least expect our arrival. Then, we will ravage them, all of their people, their land and their realm."

The monsters cheer, happy to finally have a course of action ahead. None of them have been to Narvlheim, but assume it would be something like the old Vanaheim. Their ignorance could mean their very end.

"What if Asgard comes to us while we are still on Narvlheim, Master?" The same orange monster, who came to his side a week prior, asks Modi with a look of genuine humility.

"We will fight them off until nothing remains. But leave Thor to me."

They all nod, and retire to their separate homes. Modi stands on the edge of his perch, watching the rotations below, waiting to see the ebony that clouds over Narvlheim when the sun sets.

"Come to me, Vali. I wish to show you a burning world."


	13. Good Morning

Vali wakes, a full day after his accidental encounter with Rigs, refreshed and happy. He goes to Hela's room, sees that her eyes are slightly clearer today, and has hope for the future. Nothing could harm him this day.

The two young lovebirds have been sending clandestine tokens back and forth for the past day, knowing all too well that their families would not approve of their quiet affair. Vali leaves her favorite flower hidden throughout the house, letting her know his path, and she leaves him tiny notes in code. Should anyone else pick up the parchment, they would only find a collection of odd scribbles, unknowing of the pair's secret language that they shared since childhood. It comes in handy now more than they could have imagined.

Rigs snuck into Vali's room the night before, wanting to repeat the first time he stumbled upon her, and ended up sleeping soundly in his arms instead. Vali used his fingertips to trace symbols down her back while he listened to her tell stories; he never tires of hearing her speak. Her hair was long like it was the previous night, and he enjoyed running his hands through it, examining each braid and wondering how she could style it in such a way so easily.

Their interactions are more like an established couple than a newfound youthful lust. The two genuinely care for one another. It is only a matter of time until Vali will find the courage to confess his deepest emotions for her.

Vali walks through the house, up after everyone else, and finds his mother in the kitchen conversing with Heimdall's wife. He kisses Sigyn and Rigs' mother on the cheek and reports that Hela is doing better this morning. The young man looks happier than he has in weeks.

Sigyn knows that there is something changed in him, but says nothing. She only smirks at Heimdall's wife as Vali leaves. The other mother notices it in her daughter as well, though it is yet to be seen by Vali; there is no secret that Ragfrieda cares for the boy in return. His presence in their home always brings somewhat of a pink hue to their existence.

Vali goes outside to see the Dagheim sun, which is beating down on the realm more forcefully than usual today. He can see his father Loki with Heimdall on the other side of the house, but does not immediately approach them. They are clearly arguing over something. Vali walks a few steps towards the two, and cloaks himself in invisibility so as to learn more about their quarrel.

"I cannot allow such a thing right now, Heimdall. It is simply not safe." Loki has a stern look on his face, and looks as he did a few nights prior when arguing with Vali. He will not back down his position.

"You think I do not know that? But what can I do. She is my daughter, and I only want to look out for her welfare." Heimdall looks more forgiving, but is equally fervent in his responses.

"And what about the welfare of my son? Of my own daughter? You have been so kind to us these days past, but under these circumstances, I might be forced to send him away to Asgard."

Vali is struck with a sense of terrifying humility; it seems he and Rigs have been caught in their short affair. How, he cannot tell, but the prospect of the pairing ending so soon makes him feel sick. Vali continues to listen.

"Heimdall, I know how Vali feels. I think it would be foolish not to notice. But now is not the time for arranging such things."

"Loki, do you not wish your children to find happiness? What harm could it bring if we make plans to unite them? It is clearly what they would want anyway. We all need some joy to keep distracted from the madness that could come from Modi."

These statements confuse Vali. Could it be that they have not been caught, and Loki and Heimdall are instead preparing his, evidently, inevitable union to Rigs?

"It is precisely distraction that I am afraid of!" Loki is yelling now, angry. He looks as if he wants to strike out at Heimdall, though his arm is held back. Loki calms himself for a moment, only to become more fervent as his answer continues. "Heimdall, when this is over, that would be fine. I would welcome it! I would be first in line at any raucous celebration! But until we are through with Modi, until my daughter is cured of her madness, I cannot give my blessing to either Vali or Ragfrieda. It is forbidden!"

Vali takes a breath to hear his father say such a word, and it strikes his young mind. An unrecognizable desire for rebellion is fueling in his veins. He runs back to the house, dissipating his disguise, and is frantic to find Ragfrieda.

She is waiting in her room, back from a morning walk, and Vali rushes to her side. He stands her up off the bed, taking her hands in his, and looks her in the eye.

"Rigs, do you trust me?"

The visit takes her by surprise, especially with this urgency. She nods, her eyebrow raised to find out his intentions.

"Will you come away with me? Come with me so we might be together?"

"Vali, what are you talki..."

"I mean it, I mean to leave. We could go to Narvlheim, and watch for Modi to come to Asgard. Together, I know we could destroy him!"

Vali has rose-colored glasses for Rigs' abilities to fight. But he is confident that they could defeat the enemy together, so long as they are no longer held back by their respective families. If they remain, time would continue to pass, wasting the precious moments they could be spending in each others' arms.

"I... Vali... I..." Rigs still has no idea how to respond to his request, and her eyes widen. Vali pulls her in for a passionate kiss, enjoying the daylight and chance of being caught. He is not afraid, should she agree to go away with him.

"Rigs, I have to say something..." He pulls away and holds her hands in front of her. Vali looks at her with more courage that he has ever had to muster. It is fast, but feels appropriate. Squeezing with each syllable, revealing his own secret code, he speaks:

"I love you."

She is not sure how to respond to this, even less than the previous question. But Rigs still has an answer.

"I... I love you too, Vali. I will go with you."

The two young lovers run out of the house, nothing in hand except one another, and rush to the Bifrost site. They have little care for discretion.

Heimdall and Loki are still standing in their field when the Bifrost crashes open, sending them through to Narvlheim. The gatekeeper on Asgard must take Vali's orders seriously.

"It looks like it worked, didn't it?" Heimdall says.

"Yes, it does," Loki replies, smirking. "Are you sure your son sees Modi going to Narvlheim first?"

"It appears so. And now he will be met with two fierce warriors, while Hela and Sigyn remain safely here." The two look at each other, saddened at the impending war but proud of their ruse. Heimdall's voice is calm and low, as it was when he used to chastise Loki's games long ago. "You know, you could have told Vali what the plan was from the start. I'm sure he would have gained the pluck to tell Ragfrieda about his love eventually."

"Ahh, dear Heimdall. Where is the mischief in that?"


	14. Meanwhile in Asgard

Thor is devastated by the state of his realm. He has to watch the people rebuild the city and the broken parts of the palace, burdened by the looks of the many disappointed citizens. How could he have been such a fool and allow Modi to get so far? Thor, like the rest of the diplomats in Yggdrasill, is blaming himself for the ignorance necessary to let Modi's plan evolve into such destruction.

More than anyone, however, Thor blames himself for not ridding Modi of the hatred he held towards others. He tried to bring Modi up in an environment of peace and appreciation for his title, which was easy to do when Loki was no longer a threat to Asgard. Modi was only a small child when his uncle came with Pluto, too young to remember the real threat. And the caretakers who raised Modi in Thor's absence on Midgard taught the boy stories of grand defeat and hatred towards the frost giants: inhabitants of distant, exiled Jotunheim as if they had been the most formidable enemy the realm had ever faced.

While the idea was partially true, as Loki was Asgard's greatest threat from the time of his discovery to the Ragnarok, Thor had never intended to teach his son real hatred. Odin the Allfather had tried to teach Thor the misguided assumption that all threats should be wiped out without cause; Thor had to learn the lesson alone, stranded without his Asgardian power, before he could appreciate the sanctity of other lives. He had nearly lost his brother in the process, forcing Loki to realize his heritage after being touched by the frost giants. Would their fate have been different if Loki had never known his true nature? Could he have taught Modi acceptance if there had never been a struggle of identity with Jotunheim?

Now, that answer is irrelevant. But it still burns in Thor's soul.

The citizens who were skeptical of Thor's ability to rule are now obviously displeased. It matters not that Modi brought forth the destruction; the fact of the matter is, Thor failed to train the soldiers any sort of magic counter attack. It was Vali's responsibility to care for the magic offenses of others, but a single soldier was not enough. Thor could have very well positioned Loki as a teacher of magic defense, and chose to keep such skills specialized. It nearly cost all of the soldiers their lives.

Without Mjolnir, Thor can only use his brute strength to help the people. He has been questioned on more than one occasion why Modi was able to lift the weapon at all; Thor has no good answer. It's possible that Thor's blood is enough to give Modi the strength necessary to wield it, but there is no explanation as to why the charm that Odin placed on the hammer so long ago did not last. When the Allfather passed, it has been said that all he put into place fell away with the rest of old Asgard.

Thor does not know yet how he will handle Modi's return. He hasn't even found the time to visit with Loki on Narvlheim to discuss how sorry he is over Hela's entrapment. Whether or not he could have prevented Modi's hatred towards Loki's family matters not; he should have taught Modi to respect women better. The glare that Loki, even Sigyn, gave him when they last left Asgard burns within Thor's mind.

But Loki was right. Modi's evil will not end until he is dealt with. Thor isn't sure he will have the strength.

...

Modi and his minions are ready to swoop down on Narvlheim. They have prepared enough to know how quickly they must act before Asgard's armies are called forth. Modi is ignorant to the power of the Seer, doomed before he even begins, but the sheer power that Mjolnir grants him will make the foresight partially irrelevant.

The boy has no idea what waits for him on Narvlheim. While Vali and Rigs are enjoying their solitude, hiding in their own secret places, they are lethal and more prepared than might be expected. Not to mention the fact that because Hela is not on Narvlheim, there is little need to concern themselves with protecting her. Loki and Heimdall are not far behind, and bring with them the army of Asgard to meet Modi.

It seems the war that Modi has started will be fought on foreign soil and not ended in his home. Thor hasn't announced this to his people, not wanting to give them a false sense of security.

On Dagheim, Sigyn and the Stewardess are trying hard to get the people of the realm educated about what may come. Because of the realm's hot atmosphere, it is possible that Mjolnir would have little effect here; on the other hand, it might create dust storms unimaginable in any other place. The cold and uninhabited realms below are possibly a refuge if the fight against Modi on Narvlheim is unsuccessful; they all pray to Valhalla that the concept is not even a possibility.

The high women on Dagheim are so consumed with their concern that they do not notice Hela's absence. The girl is wandering in her visions, still searching for a familiar face in the realm with tall trees and falling rain. She stumbles, still grasping a swollen leg, still looking and calling out for her parents. Hela is lost.

In her wandering, Hela stumbles upon one of Vali's portals. She arrives on Narvlheim, exposed, alone, and vulnerable.


	15. So It Begins

Vali and Rigs are trying to enjoy their time alone, though they only have a number of mere hours together. Vali takes Rigs to his favorite spot on the road from the Bifrost to see the nightly burning stars; she is entranced by their light, and finds the prospect of being alone with Vali in this magical place terribly romantic. They make love beneath the stars and revel in their youthful rediscovery of one another.

The two repeat how much they love one another, and Vali squeezes her hands while they join together. The moonlight is refreshing. The pairing of Vali and Rigs is exciting, new, and feels right to their hearts. While Rigs coos sweetly into Vali's ear, his blood boils with desire and satisfaction. It is an exquisite distraction from the violence ahead.

In the morning, Rigs wakes in Vali's arms, enveloped in bliss. She cannot believe the excitement of running away from home with him, adrenaline racing in her veins to the point that she must ask him to repeat his cooling trick several times as they get up. The two have no plans to get dressed and venture to Vali's home.

That is, until they notice the strange creatures that seem to come out of nowhere from the trees. The beings are ugly, scaly, and heavily weaponized. Vali quickly cloaks both himself and Rigs from their eyes, watching the monsters carefully.

"Where do you think we should go first?" one of them asks, turning his very snakelike head this way and that, searching for people.

"I don't know. I have never been here," another one of the creatures replies, snarling it back to the first.

"Well how are any of us supposed to know where we're going?!"

"Don't ask me, I thought _you_ were paying attention!"

"What if the Master finds out we've been failing? Where are the others?"

The visitors are arguing, almost ready to fight with one another using the crude weapons they hold. As they continue yelling to the point of distraction, Vali escapes with Rigs to his home, to find his armor and fight the strangers.

...

The Lokison family home is filled with people, enough so that Vali is almost too frightened to enter. Loki and Heimdall wait outside, and call out that all is safe. Vali and Rigs approach the home with looks of fear to see their fathers, and confusion at the obvious occasion that they seem to be unaware of.

Vali does not let go of Rigs' hand. He has to swallow his pride and be brave to walk up to both Loki and Heimdall at the door.

"I will not back down, father." He says, ready for a strike of disappointment from Loki. Vali's expression is too distorted from constant smiling to appear too menacing.

"Oh, my son. We're just glad you finally got the courage to do something!" Heimdall and Loki both laugh, and embrace their respective children in celebration. Vali and Rigs are puzzled at this response, but for a moment, there is no judgment of their love.

"Father, what is this?" Vali is asking about both the sudden acceptance of his relationship with Rigs, and the congregation of soldiers in their house.

Loki's expression drops from one of celebration to one of serious discussion. He makes heavy eye contact with Vali.

"My son, Modi is coming. The Seer has told us that he has seen Modi on his way to Narvlheim. It seems he intends to destroy this realm before moving to Asgard."

"And Hela?"

"She is safe with your mother on Dagheim. They are waiting on word from us if we need more help. There is a messenger at the Bifrost site; one of my bright students, shielded in disguise. When they come, we will be ready."

"Father, we have seen them. Creatures have come. That is why Rigs and I came back to the house."

At these words, the whole house becomes silent. They had no idea how quickly Modi would be coming, nor were they aware that the enemy would be capable of sending his soldiers in through the portals, as there has been no word from the Bifrost site.

"Vali, how much time do you think we have?"

He considers the question, and goes over his internal map of the portals. He knows that Modi's knowledge would be limited to whatever he told Hela.

"Not long. Maybe an hour before they reach us, there aren't any portals near our home. But the city..."

"The city is vulnerable, but it is not Modi's main focus. He will come to us." Loki turns back down the hallway, heading back to his room with Sigyn. There is no question that he is retrieving his armor.

"I suggest all of you brace yourselves for battle. We cannot rely on defense, we must attack. They mean to destroy us!" Loki calls from above, trying to prepare them all. But the soldiers in the kitchen only stand and stare at one another, afraid of Modi's wrath after the carnage they saw on Asgard. They are unable to prepare themselves; fear overtakes their every sense.

Vali notices their expressions, and cannot stand idly by to watch them all suffer. I an act out of character for him, Vali stands atop a chair to reach them all.

"My friends, the soldiers, the Commanders, and other diplomats of Yggdrasill. The time has come for us to uphold our word. We will not let Modi take away the freedom we earned for ourselves. We will not allow him to destroy this realm for the sake of his prejudice." He opens the tunic he wears to expose the scar now present on his abdomen from Hela's misguided dagger throw. The men look at the wound and then back up at Vali's face, which has somehow transformed from his usual sweet self to fierce leader.

"I will not allow Modi to destroy my family, as much as I will not allow him to destroy me. We will succeed, and take back our realms from this first, and hopefully last, threat to our Yggdrasill!" The men and women soldiers present all cheer at Vali's speech, ready to follow him into battle. Loki comes back from upstairs just in time to hear the end of his announcement, and is overwhelmed with pride for his son's growth. He helps Vali off the chair, dressed in full armor regalia, keeping his dagger tucked into his boot. Loki allows the purple strip of fabric that Sigyn gave him hang out of the top, constantly reminding him that Narvi's spirit will guide them to victory.

Heimdall pulls Ragfrieda aside, and tells her that he brought her training armor. She can find it in the upstairs bedroom. Rigs nods, smiling at the opportunity to fight alongside Vali, and goes up the stairs to get dressed and prepare.

"I am proud of you, my son. Now, get ready so that Modi will know that he cannot catch us by surprise." Loki says this privately to Vali, and he walks back to his room to get ready. Despite his reservations, the boy is ready to become the people's King.


	16. Modi's First Steps

All of his creatures have stepped onto Narvlheim's ground, and are disseminating to all the corners of the realm. By the time Modi lays his feet on the soil, none are near the portal sites that they came through.

The boy finds it amusing how dark this place is even in daylight. "Fitting for a realm of disgusting Jotun," he thinks, kicking the tufts of grass that line the pathways before him. He swings Mjolnir around his arms, almost playing with the weapon, now strong enough to lift and wield it with ease. When it clanks against his armor, Modi feels as though it sounds off some sort of battle call, beckoning all creatures and citizens of Narvlheim to come forth and challenge him.

But he does not find what he expected to. There are no people whatsoever. Grid and Freyr have used all of their magic and the powers of their students to cloak most of the realm in disguise. The citizens are everywhere, watching him, but they make no sound. The hunter has become the hunted.

Modi walks with slow, deliberate steps. He is finally approached by one of his soldiers, the same orange-scaled monster that never seems to be too far away.

"Master, we cannot find anyone. Are you sure we are in the right place?"

Modi looks around them, confirming his senses.

"Yes, this is Narvlheim. Where are the others?"

"I do not know, Master. They have all spread out in search of people. Where would they be?"

Modi is even more disconcerted to think that there is not a sign of people at all from his minions. But he shakes his head.

"You fool. They're everywhere."

"What do you mean, Monster."

"I mean..." Modi starts yelling, presenting himself with open arms and walking in a circle, calling out to them. "They're all around us, hiding with their magic! The terrible people of this realm think they can hide from me? They think they don't have to answer for their discontent? Show yourselves!"

Nothing happens after Modi's call for a reveal, but he is not fazed.

"I know you're watching me, Vali! I can feel your cold presence even now. Why not come out and fight?"

Nothing. The lack of response makes Modi furious with rage. But the tactic is smart; the angrier Modi becomes, the less rational his actions will be.

Modi starts to spin Mjolnir above him. The sky is now overwhelmed with clouds, first white, but quickly gathering close together. They swirl above Modi's moving arm, increasing in blackness every second.

"If you will not come out on your own, I will be forced to chase you out!"

Red lightning strikes within the clouds, high above the ground. Modi himself seems to echo the red as it shines off his gilded breastplate. Thunder rolls through the realm, echoing off the trees and the stone. It has not yet frightened any of the Narvlheim inhabitants out of their hiding places; however, the creatures that Modi sent to the realm before him are cowering. They yell out in incomprehensible screams of fear at the growing storm above them all. It stretches out beyond the horizon, as if Modi is able to conjure a tempest that will cover the entire realm in mere minutes.

Modi strikes the ground with Mjolnir, drawing rain down from the clouds above. The drops sting, not of water, but like the acid of evil that courses through Modi's veins. The rain itself is boiling hot. The monsters he brings will him hold their misshapen hands above their faces to shield from the downpour; only Modi is immune. The people who were hidden cannot uphold their illusions, injured by every falling drop.

"You see what I can do now, Vali? I don't need a serpent to pour poison down upon your people!"

Vali cannot stand to watch Modi destroy his realm with such toxic rain. The trees and plants are wilting, melting beneath the weather. Vali's armor protects him from it for the most part, but he is forced to shield his eyes. He feels behind his thigh for a dagger, one made just for his own use this time, and Vali makes a calculated guess for where to aim on Modi's armor to at least halt the storm.

But Vali is too late to act, as Rigs is high above them in the trees. She is still shielded with his magic, but has no need to be opaque when she acts as an assassin. Her bow is strung with two arrows, strong and tipped with the hardest Narvlheim stone, aimed directly at Modi's heart. Rigs releases her bow just as he moves, missing his chest and planting both arrows into his right arm instead.

Modi cries out in pain and drops Mjolnir, which slams on the ground. The rain stops, though the menacing, crackling red clouds above remain. His screams act as a cue to the rest of the hidden citizens, who start to emerge from the trees and set themselves upon the invaders.

Vali walks out in front of all of them, having put his dagger away and is instead armed with a heavy sword. His stride is regal, upstanding, and slow. The people march behind him, some in armor and some in little more than brown tunics, prepared to die for their universe.

"Modi, we are here to set upon you, and stop your madness. Whatever your plan, you will surely fail!"

Modi looks at Vali squarely in the eye, more anger than he's ever known coursing in his soul. The enemy changes sides and lifts Mjolnir in his left hand, just as strong as his right.

"I will not stop until I see you, your family, and your realm in pieces!"


	17. Unexpected Defense

Modi and Vali are fighting fervently, slamming against one another in an excellent show of force and strategy. The people of Narvlheim are doing all they can to distract and disarm the monster soldiers; many are only using simple snapping spells, which come so unexpectedly that the creatures cower at hearing the crackles. Modi is too distracted with Vali to reignite the storm above; with luck, they may defeat him before the rain begins again.

Loki and Heimdall are holding back, watching Vali hold his own against Modi. This is their fight. They are cleaning up the edges of large creatures that attack against the citizens; Loki throws his dagger with expert precision, Heimdall shows brute strength, and Rigs is holding her own from above with the bow. They are all lethal weapons against the adversaries, yet there seems to be no end in sight to the constant stream of monsters filing in from the portals.

Modi is able to lift Mjolnir enough to strike out with lightning; the rain is kept at bay. He strikes at Vali once, twice, a few times with no luck. Modi was not able to hone his aim while he practiced in the outer darkness, despite the skill he gained in creating the acid rain and strong wind.

Vali strikes back with spells, flashing bright lights in front of Modi to distract him. While Modi is unable to aim back, Vali creates a smoke screen to shield himself, granting a few precious moments of peace between the strikes.

Loki and Heimdall are focused on the monsters alone, the people equally distracted by the enemies and the storm above. None are prepared for who joins on the scene.

Hela walks into the battlefield, her eyes clouded in the deep purple haze that has been present for each of her strong visions. She is untouched, not noticed by either the monsters or the citizen soldiers. But once Vali's smokescreen clears, Modi strikes out with lightning once again, the red bolt streaming through the mist straight towards the disoriented Hela.

This bolt is stronger than the others, blasting Vali out of the battlefield's center and to the side, close to Loki. Both of them turn to see Modi, still detonating out the lightning from Mjolnir. Only then do they see Hela, directly in its path.

"Hela, no!" Loki screams out, only to be stifled by the incredible sight of Hela slowly lifting her arms in front of her, blocking the lightning with some unknown force. As if she can set up a force field over her body, the lightning moves in a circular orbit around the girl. Once the electricity stops streaming from Mjolnir, the entire bolt itself fizzles back into the air, dissipated by whatever force Hela held out before her.

"F...father... what was that?" Vali asks, flabbergasted at the scene before him.

"I don't know, Vali... I did not teach her that."


	18. Too Many Questions

With the rare exception of a few lone fights on the sidelines, the entire battlefield is fixed on Hela, who might as well be naked before Modi for all her brown tunic does to protect her. He is even stunned to see her deflect his lightning in such a way, watching the girl walk towards him. The fact that she has bare feet doesn't faze her; the purple clouds that fill her eyes almost act as protection from everything else.

She steps forward a few more feet, stopping just before Modi. The girl is echoing the actions in the vision that clouds her mind. When Hela speaks, her voice is low and loud, like it was during her first vision at home. It shakes the soil around them.

"Modi. I see you."

"Of course you see me, I am standing before you!" Modi strikes out with Mjolnir again, only to watch Hela repeat her defense trick yet again. The electric attack makes no dent on her countenance, and she is not afraid.

Vali and Loki are stunned, and can do nothing more than watch and hope that she can give some sort of clue as to where her mind really is.

"I still see you, Modi. You cannot hide from me."

Modi yells out of frustration, striking out with several bolts. They are all deflected with precision. One bounces off of Hela's force field in such a way that it hits Modi in the right arm again, right where Rigs' arrows still stand out. While Modi exclaims in pain for the second sting, Hela asks him questions with the haunting voice of her vision.

"Why do you hate us, Modi? Why do you hate us?" Her inflection is kind and forgiving, not accusatory. But the voice alone frightens him.

"You all should have died long ago! You are all ugly, disgusting creatures! My father should have murdered every one of you when he had the chance!"

"Why do you feel such hatred, Modi? What is it that makes you so angry?"

"Stop saying my name!" The enemy slams Mjolnir on the ground instead of in the air, trying to break the soil in pieces. Hela jumps high, avoiding the shockwave; the people on the edge of the battlefield are not so lucky, and feel the full force of the earthquake beneath them. Some fall over.

"Modi, why are you sad?"

"I'm not sad! I will be victorious!" Modi is almost in tears now, angry at the stoic way that Hela asks him questions. Her trance gives her undeniable strength. She runs towards Modi, frightening him. He is frozen, watching Hela come towards him.

She places both of her hands against Modi's head. Hela leans her forehead into his, and whispers to him. No one can hear what's going on in their exchange, but Modi is openly sobbing at whatever is being said. He falls to his knees. The audience cannot believe how quickly Modi seems to be surrendering to Hela's power, staring in awe at her kind face. The clouds in her eyes are as deep as they've ever been. Hela gazes straight ahead into nothing.

When Modi is on his knees, openly sobbing into the ground, Hela turns around. She takes a few calm steps in the opposite direction. It is as if her work is done, and now her purpose is to leave.

Modi raises his head just enough to watch her walk away. He takes all the strength he can muster while on his knees to raise Mjolnir.

"Hela! Hela watch out!" Vali screams out to his sister, hoping she will hear him. She does not respond.

Out of Mjolnir strikes another red bold of lightning. It hits Hela squarely, electrocuting her, and she falls to the ground. Gasps can be heard all around.

"No! Hela, no!" Vali yells out in response, almost retching in anger for what he's just seen. At least when Hela attacked him in Asgard, she was not aware of it. Now she is injured, possibly dead, and they could do little more than stand by and watch.

Loki and Vali waste no time and run out into the field. Vali goes to Hela first, and Loki finds himself before Modi, holding out a sword to his nephew's neck. Vali picks Hela's limp body off the ground and runs to a sanctuary within the trees. Grid suddenly appears, as if she knew exactly where Vali would bring her, and props up the girl's head on her lap.

Loki does somewhat of a dance with Modi, holding out his sword, but he is very wary of what Mjolnir might be capable of in Modi's hands.

"Modi, don't make me do this."

"Do what, _uncle_? Destroy me? As you would always want, to kill someone with true blood for the throne so that you might clam it yourself?" Modi hisses the words back at Loki, as if a younger version of him is speaking.

"I know you feel lost, Modi. I know you feel lied to. But this is not the answer!" Loki and Modi end up attacking one another with their weapons, both skilled warriors. However, Loki's age is beginning to show; the youthful energy that Modi has reserved throughout the fight now overpowers Loki's natural skill. He is becoming tired.

"You don't know anything! You know nothing about me! You and your family want nothing more than to watch mine fall!" Modi yells back at Loki, letting his anger distort his face and his inflection. He raises Mjolnir another time, prepared to blast out directly at Loki's heart.

Modi's assault is interrupted by the crash of the Bifrost, which lands directly in front of him. The silhouette within the shining light is all too familiar.


	19. If Ye Have Strength

Thor stands before Modi, too close for comfort, but is prepared to fight to the death. He holds a grand sword, clearly something forged just for his hands, as the hammer now answers to another master. Loki stands back, allowing Thor to take control of the battle, and goes to find Hela with Vali.

He sees Grid, holding Hela's head upon her lap. The old woman is dripping water on the girl's chapped lips, trying to wake her. Rigs has come down from her perch in the tree, trying to comfort the family. Heimdall also sits close by.

"She is still alive. But I don't know if she will come back to us." Grid says the words, but looks hopeful, as if she is not truly concerned.

"I can't find any burns. She fell after the lightning hit her, but it is almost as if she was still shielded." Vali shows Loki the back of Hela's tunic, which looks singed but not terribly burnt. Her skin was spared. How could it have affected her if the lightning didn't truly touch her?

Loki kneels next to Hela, and caresses her hair. He cannot imagine the impending possibility of losing yet another child this day. Her powers were remarkable, unlike anything he'd ever seen. Whatever she was seeing in her visions, it was teaching Hela great magic.

"My sweet Hela, please come back to us," he says, leaving a light kiss upon her forehead. They sit beside Hela and grip her hands, hoping that they will eventually feel the squeezes that signify her survival.

...

Thor and Modi are fighting alone in the center of the battlefield. Nearly all of the misguided monsters that came with Modi from the outer darkness are defeated; the remainders have surrendered in one form or another to the citizens who used their magic to subdue them. It leaves the two to finish the battle and settle their score without interruption.

Modi strikes out at Thor with Mjolnir, restarting the rain. The people cower back into the forest, looking for shelter. The only group that doesn't seem to notice the falling acid is the clan surrounding Hela, who is still somehow able to shield them from the storm.

Thor maneuvers very well despite his age and size. Without his usual weapon, he is limited to the ground. The sword he carries is equally menacing as Mjolnir, however, and when he slams it down towards Modi, it creates the same earthquake-like tremors. Thor is unaffected by the acid rain from above.

"Modi, look around you! Your soldiers are defeated. Your plan is all for naught. Come home with me, let us settle this properly!" Thor is pleading to his son, hoping to reach some space of love within his heart. There is none.

"Oh, father. You have no idea what I'm capable of!" Modi spins Mjolnir high above, causing the tempest to grow even larger. The clouds are dropping lower, making larger drops of acid, which melt the terrain. The wind around them picks up, blowing so hard as to force even Thor to brace himself against the soil.

"Modi, please stop! Tell me what I can do!"

"You can do nothing, you have already done nothing! You abandoned me! You left me there to find my way out! How would this be any different?"

Thor is suddenly struck with hard guilt, knowing that Modi never forgave him for leaving the boy alone in the palace during the Ragnarok. He had to go out and defend the people, but why had he not assigned someone to watch over his son?

"Modi, I am sorry. I promised you it would never happen again. And it hasn't! I am here to come get you! You _will_ regret the lives you take, and those you have taken!" Thor cannot help but feel as if he failed as a father. Modi has harsh tears falling from his eyes while he continues to spin Mjolnir; his left hand is growing tired, but his right is still unusable.

"I regret nothing!" Modi screams, throwing lightning from Mjolnir, but loses his grip on the hammer in the process.

It lands halfway between Modi and Thor. The rain stops. They meet eyes with one another. Loki comes out from the trees to see what's happening, prepared to run and protect Thor should Modi gain control over the hammer again. Thor has to yell out over the sound of the conflicting wind and thunder above to reach Modi's ears:

"My son, I promise you. You will feel sorry for the lives you've taken. You will be sorry if you take the lives of those you seek to destroy!"

The two simultaneously hold out their hands to beckon the weapon. Thor also runs towards it, reaching it first.

As soon as Thor wraps his hand around the handle of Mjolnir, the clouds above strike downward in sheets of lightning. It is no longer red, but blue as it should be. Thor holds the hammer above his head and points it at Modi, who is racing towards his father with sword in hand. He must have at least planned to need a second weapon.

"Modi, don't make me do this!"

Modi doesn't pause. He keeps running. The rage within his eyes shines red. There is no stopping him.

Thor closes his eyes and lets Mjolnir attack with the lightning. It hits Modi squarely, blasting him backwards. But when he hits the ground, something unexpected happens; the remaining red lightning trapped in the skies above beats down upon Modi, almost as if it is a punishment for wielding Mjolnir without being worthy. The scene makes Thor gasp inward with grief, and even Loki steps out to stop Thor from running towards Modi on the ground.

"Thor, don't torture yourself. It is done. He brought it on himself."

Thor just stares at Loki, unable to speak, too shocked to fathom the possibility of killing his own son. But it was a necessary evil. How could he let Modi destroy Narvlheim?

They can hear a groan coming from Modi's body; his arm is raised to get their attention. When they approach him, they are taken aback by what they see.

Modi's armor is cracked open, broken by the strong red lightning that came from the sky. Thor's blast only moved him across the field, but it was Modi's own misguided spells through Mjolnir that caused this damage. He is struggling to breathe, clearly at the very end. He will not last much longer.

Both Loki and Thor stand above him. Thor has tears streaming down his face. Loki looks equally sad, but only sheds tears over his own children. Thor kneels down beside Modi, to offer a final comfort to his son, the last opportunity he has to reconcile things before the boy's death.

Modi's eyes are a different color of blue than usual. They look like the eyes of a child, very clear; his brow is furled inward to show his concern. Modi is aware of what must be happening to him. He is frightened.

"Father... I..." his voice is weak, quiet. The light blue eyes that stare at Thor are welling with thick tears.

"Shh, my son. It's almost over now." Thor takes Modi's hand and holds it tight against his chest. He can only hope to offer some peace.

"Father, I... I am sorry..."

"I know, Modi. I know you're sorry. Don't worry about that now." Thor has to choke out the words.

Modi moves his gaze from Thor, up to Loki, who is leaning on Thor's shoulder. Even Loki's eyes seem to be swollen with tears. He knows the pain that Thor is feeling, and even the pity he holds for Modi.

He coughs a few times. His eyes almost glaze over, but the boy does not break eye contact with Loki.

"No, I... I am sorry. I am sorry for... for Narvi."

The words make Loki breathe in hard, and clench his fist on Thor's shoulder. The tears flow uncontrollably out of Loki's eyes. Thor cries even harder, not able to look at Modi after such a confession.

And with that, Modi's soul leaves his broken body on Narvlheim, unsuccessful in his quest to destroy the Lokisons; all, that is, but one.


	20. New Awakenings

When Loki and Thor return to Hela's body, they both feel as though they are reliving the Ragnarok. The skies are clearing, but the destruction of the acid rain leaves the soil steaming. The monsters that did not die are imprisoned. Modi has been defeated, but there is no celebration. Thor holds his boy in his arms, an almost comical scene with how large Modi is, but it is clear that Thor is mourning greatly. He never did recover trust with Modi, but there was at least a chance of hope before; now there is none.

Loki kneels beside Hela, gripping Vali's hand tightly, unable to speak. He sees the purple fabric hanging out of his boot and pulls it out, bringing it to his face the same way Sigyn would be touching it now if she were here. Loki misses his son, and now has a face to put behind his death; it was no accident that he fell, if Modi had injured him on the way out.

Vali isn't aware of what Modi said, but can imagine that it has something to do with the loss of Thor's son, and the impossible bond that his uncle and his father share in this grief. Rigs then sits between Vali and Heimdall, and Grid with Freyr are on the other side. They all hold hands and surround the girl's body, and Freyr leads them all in a spell. The chanting goes on for what feels like hours, but it is merely minutes.

Hela opens her eyes. They are no longer cloudy. The people who surround her are still tightly clutching one another, not looking at her face. So she interrupts them.

"What's going on?"

They stop simultaneously, all so happy to see her awake. Loki embraces her tightly. Vali feels for her hand, and squeezes in the family code. Everyone is thankful for her return, as it seems the true Hela has awoken.

"Father, what's the matter?" Hela pulls away to look at Loki's face, which is obviously morphed into an expression of despair. He does not speak, so Vali does so for him.

"Hela, we thought we had lost you. It is so good to have you back."

"But, I was... where was I?" Hela looks to be searching her mind for clues. The last few weeks have been nothing but a blur. "Where is mother?"

"She is on Dagheim, my love, I am certain she'll be here soon."

Hela looks at the faces that surround her. Her eyes fall upon her uncle Thor, who holds Modi's body in his arms. Thor is still inconsolable, but he looks up to see Hela.

"Oh, uncle. I am so sorry. I am so sorry that I didn't know what he was asking of me. Please... please forgive me..." Hela seems to just now be aware of what happened in Asgard. She looks sharply at Vali. "I... I remember hurting you, Vali. Are you alright?"

Vali smiles at her through his tears. "Yes, Hela, I am alright."

The Seer must have alerted Dagheim to the success of Modi's defeat, as now some of Heimdall's family is streaming in. Sigyn comes quickly, running to Hela's side, happy to see her daughter's wide, dark eyes open again.

"My daughter, are you alright? I have missed you so..." Sigyn puts her hand on Hela's cheek and tips her hair. She is teary like everyone else, sad to see the state of Narvlheim, but is smiling somewhat to see Hela awake.

"I missed you too, mother. I kept... I kept looking for you." Hela speaks slowly, as if she is remembering her vision. Her eyes squint, and she searches the ground.

"I was looking for something. I was looking for someone. I didn't know myself."

The words sound familiar. But no one is paying enough attention to listen.

...

People are starting to dissipate; the people of Narvlheim are using their magic to bring life back to the plants that Modi destroyed under the acid rain. Heimdall takes Rigs out of the field; she kisses Vali sweetly to say goodbye, confident that she will see him again soon. Loki decides to accompany Thor back home to Asgard, to give Modi a proper burial. Sigyn wants to take Hela home, but the girl insists on staying with Grid in the trees a little longer. Sigyn is wary of the suggestion, but trusts Grid implicitly, leading Vali home alone instead.

Grid sits beside Hela, and they both wait for all audiences to dissipate. Hela looks at the old woman and smirks.

"You know what I saw, don't you?"

Her surrogate grandmother nods, smiling.

Grid pulls out something that she has been working on. It is tucked neatly within her tunic, cleverly hidden. The work is beautiful, like everything else she embroiders, but Hela knows enough about where she grew up to know how difficult it must have been to create.

"I started it the night your visions began with us. Do you remember any of them?"

"Very little. Bits and pieces. Enough to know what was really going on."

"When you were fighting Modi just now, you showed magic none of us had ever seen. Was that where you learned it?"

Hela nods. She looks at her hands, and smirks; she has become a master sorceress while trapped in her own mind, and finally understands the implications of her power. The burning desire she had weeks ago to run away and deny her heritage is gone; Hela now wishes to be an example to the people. She has a care for them that she did not have before.

Hela looks at Grid with a mischievous grin, as if they both know a deep secret. Grid's expression echoes it.

"Should we tell them?"

"No, child. Give it time."


	21. Celebrations, New Beginnings & Kingdoms

The weeks following Modi's failure of a plan were happy ones, despite the sadness that overwhelmed Thor. Loki did what he could to help his brother mourn, but it would be an impossible feat to say that he understood the loss, because Thor had no choice but to end Modi's life.

Now that 18 long months have gone by, the realms are almost completely rebuilt. Asgard has recovered from the destruction that Rasvelg left with Modi's first attack. Heimdall has given great blessing to Ragfrieda and Vali, who finally gave a proposal to Rigs to be his wife. She has, of course, accepted; the occasion of their wedding falls on the same day of another grand occasion.

Tomorrow, Vali is to be crowned King.

Hela and Sigyn no longer fight over her future. Her time spent in visions changed her, matured her; Hela now always has a speck of purple in her eyes, the sort of glimmer that indicates hidden abilities. Hela has yet to discover all she is capable of, but she loves going to teach the new sorcery students with her father. She is warming up to the idea of becoming the Stewardess of Narvlheim in time.

Thor is happy to pass on the responsibility of leadership on to Vali, who is ready for the position. The stress of trying to please all of the people while knowing how poorly they view him is too much to bear doe Thor. He has been proud of Vali's progress, the way he insists on teaching rudimentary magic to the soldiers, and even how he handles his personal life. His relationship with Rigs has not gotten in the way of his responsibilities as a soldier, and he is equally expectant of her to learn the skills he teaches the rest of them.

Sigyn and Loki are proud to plan the wedding of Vali to Rigs, and unite both Narvlheim and Dagheim under the banner of Asgard. They have decided to make the occasions meet up so that there would not be a delay; it makes more sense to present Vali as King and then present his bride. The whole process adds a certain amount of romance to the gesture of coronation.

...

The night before the event, Loki leads Vali down the hallways of Asgard's palace, blindfolded. He has no intention of breaking the traditions started by his own mother. Rigs is lead down the hallway equally by her own family, including Hela and Sigyn, who are excited to watch the two meet in the hall together. Thor stands close to Vali, not familiar with this ritual; in fact, none of the Asgardians are. Vali's family is proud to share it with them.

When Vali takes Ragfrieda's hand, he smiles. Neither of them are overly teary. It is a time for celebration and excitement. He pulls his friend in for the kiss, embracing her tightly in both of his arms; he tries of lift Rigs off the floor, but she will have no part of that, and laughs at him for trying. All of the people present clap at their meeting, happy to celebrate a royal wedding. At least, in the morning, it will be a royal one indeed.

Heimdall and his wife put themselves in charge of Rigs' gown. They dress her in bright white, but weave in ribbons of her signature mustard yellow. Her hair is half up, all done in tiny braids, but wound in an intricate flower-like pattern. Her dress hangs off of her full form, accentuating the softer edges of her body. Rigs is shaped like a full hourglass, nipped at the waist delightfully. In this dress, her dark skin looks almost like liquid silk. Sigyn places tiny white flowers in her hair, as she had when she married Loki, and tells Rigs that she will be proud to call her a second daughter.

Loki is dressed in full armor, as is Sigyn, who hasn't looked like this since shortly after they wed. Hela has chosen to wear a black and green dress, not comfortable in the fancy shoes that Asgardian women are accustomed to; Sigyn prides herself in knowing that the taste her daughter has for being barefoot comes from many years becoming one with the soil. Clad in her father's signature green, her daughter might as well be a walking tree.

His father presents Vali down the grand passageway to the throne room; the place is no longer called the judgment hall. It is lined with people. Vali walks slowly, remembering all of his father's tips to not make a fool of himself and trip on his long, blue cape. The two are quite a pair, as Loki walks with the green antique that Grid made for him when Vanaheim was still in existence. Loki even wears his old horned helmet; a decoration that Vali does not need, as his short hair says enough about his care for the people.

Loki presents Vali to Thor at the end of the hall, and nods to his brother. He then stands beside Thor, and listens while Vali kneels and is crowned with a simple, black metal band. He repeats his warrior oath, smiles widely, and turns around to the people. All of the citizens present cheer, and the senators behind him show no signs of ill intent towards their new king.

Sigyn is not yet standing, as this ceremony is almost exclusively for the diplomats of Yggdrasill. But once it is finished, Thor nods to the rest of the congregation that a change of occasion is in order.

"My people, it is my pleasure to announce that our new King, Vali Lokison, wishes to wed his beloved Ragfrieda on this day. All those who wish to stand witness to their union, step forward."

Vali is anxious, more so about the wedding than he is the coronation. Rigs is led down the hallway by her father, and she has an obnoxiously wide smile on her face. She steps heavily, as the girl has chosen not to wear delicate, heeled shoes. It is more typical of her to walk like this instead of the gilded slippers that someone suggested she wear. To Rigs, she already doesn't match Vali well considering his blue palette; the stubborn young woman preferred to walk barefoot down her wedding aisle.

The two meet together at the front, and exchange rings. Vali and Rigs are ready to take this next step, prepared to rule with benevolent hands for all of Yggdrasill. Rigs' strong nature combined with Vali's natural leadership will make them a force to be reckoned with.

Loki and Sigyn look at one another while they watch their son say the short vows Thor gives to them. They hold one another's hands and fiddle with their wedding rings. It feels like so long ago since they stood at their very own aisle, exchanging these bands and making promises to one another. Now, they can witness the wedding of their beloved son, the King, and have the comfort of their revived Hela.

Vali and Rigs exit the hall, and they smile at their parents. Sigyn is crying, but Loki is strong and proud. Heimdall and his wife are happy to call them all family. They all stand together and watch Vali lead his bride out of the palace, to start new adventures, and lead all of Yggdrasill to peace.


	22. Those We Had Lost

Vali has been the acting king of Asgard for two years now. His lovely wife, Ragfrieda, has recently discovered that she is expecting a child. There is a new time of peace that cloaks the universe in safety, uniting all of the realms in equal purpose.

Word has it that a planet far to the East has made contact with Asgard, just now aware of the new Yggdrasill all these years after the Ragnarok. The strangers do not call the realm Asgard, unaware of the governments that are now in place. Many citizens in the high worlds are excited at the prospect of seeing a new realm, forming new bonds and, perhaps, moving forward to complete the tree of Yggdrasill. There is no telling why this outer place has only just now made contact, and no one knew of its existence until now.

Heimdall's son the Seer is now acting as Asgard's gatekeeper. The man himself joins the crew to see the arriving visitor, hoping to welcome the outsiders with open arms into this time of peace. Asgard's King, Vali, waits as well, alongside his uncle Thor. They are anxious to meet the stranger.

...

A loud, desperate knock disturbs Loki and Sigyn at home. They have no reason to worry about new visitors from other worlds, for they have the utmost confidence in Vali's ability to charm the outsider. Hela is safe in Narvlheim's city, and she is learning the duties required to become the Stewardess and Queen. Her coronation is soon, which will surely free Loki and Sigyn to finally be alone together again in peace.

Loki rises from lying across Sigyn's lap to answer the door, otherwise having a lazy day with his wife. Before him stands Heimdall.

The former gatekeeper's face is completely drenched in tears.

"Loki, you must come quick. You..." He cannot finish the thought, choking up.

"Heimdall, what's going on? Is it Vali? What happened?" Loki is suddenly struck with fear, trying to get his heart to stop racing. _Could something be wrong with the baby, with Rigs? Has the stranger set off an attack?_

"Please, come now!"

Loki turns to Sigyn, who has risen from her seat. She looks equally scared.

"Lady Sigyn, you need come as well. We must go!"

Heimdall says nothing, staring straight ahead as he runs to the Bifrost site. Loki and Sigyn have clasped their hands together. Loki is almost dragging her along; what could make Heimdall so upset? Is it possible that the visitor means to bring harm to Yggdrasill?

They stand in the Bifrost site and wait for transport to Asgard. Obviously the Kingdom must still be mostly functional or they could not travel this way. Loki looks at Sigyn with great worry. It is obvious that they are growing tired of such emergencies.

They arrive in Asgard's Bifrost, still clutching one another. Heimdall walks forward. Vali looks to be in a state of shock, his brow furled, his eyes red. Even Thor stands still like a statue, tears streaming. The Seer stares forward, not involved in the scene. There is no carnage and no violence. In fact, the place is completely silent.

Heimdall approaches the cloaked figure standing before Vali, its back to Loki and Sigyn. Very slowly, the visitor recognizes that new people have arrived. The guest turns to Heimdall.

"This way," Heimdall directs, and the figure turns around.

Loki steps forward, unable to see the stranger's face, as it is hooded. Sigyn stands behind him. Both of them search the faces of those present, but find no clues. Loki does not have the courage to approach the visitor fully, concerned why Heimdall and Thor would both be so upset from something like this. Clearly it is not out of solid fear, or there would be some kind of violence here.

Sigyn, tired of the anticipation, bypasses Loki. She decides it is better to greet the stranger instead of appearing so frightened.

"Where are you from, dear? We welcome you..." Sigyn stops when she realizes that the audible sobbing is not from anyone she can see. The figure is crying.

"Oh, my. Come, tell me what troubles you." She is brave enough to step forward once more, even as much to lift the chin of the stranger and peer into the hood.

A few moments go by of her searching the eyes of the stranger. She hopes that her face might offer some sort of comfort, as she is the only woman present. But suddenly, Sigyn gasps. Her arm crosses her chest, and tears begin to fall from her eyes involuntarily. Her heart is beating loudly in her ears, an all-too-familiar sound when she is faced with such things. Sigyn can barely remain standing, and her sobs contort her face strangely.

"No... no it... I.. no no no..." Sigyn holds her other hand out to Loki, who grasps it, unsure what she means. She squeezes her husband's hand hard. She keeps repeating the words over and over while she gathers strength.

The woman raises the hood off the stranger completely. His eyes are bright red from tears, but he appears normal. The stranger stands tall, as tall as Loki even. His lip quivers from the sobs. There is nothing in particular to take them all aback so. He only just looks slightly familiar.

Loki gasps aloud, covering his mouth as Sigyn does. He shakes his head, but cannot close his eyes, or even blink. Loki's mind cannot fathom the truth. His hand rests heavily on the stranger's shoulder.

"No... no, it..."

The stranger takes Loki and Sigyn's hands, one in each of his. He squeezes three times to each of them, a secret code that only they would know. Sigyn is the only one with breath enough to speak:

"Narvi?"


End file.
